Jericho won’t join Team NMI in Majuro

Former CNMI national cager Jericho Cruz will no longer suit up for the NMI Men’s National Basketball Team in the 2024 Micronesian Games even after his team in the Philippine Basketball Association, San Miguel Beer, ended its campaign last Sunday with a Game 6 loss to eventual champions Meralco Bolts.

“I told coach Ruf [Rufino Aguon], I told James [Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Association president James Lee] after the game (Game 6) that I’m ready but they told me there are no more flights available or something. I won’t come anymore because they told me they can’t book a flight for me to go there (Majuro) anymore so I said ‘OK,’” he told Saipan Tribune.

The 6’1” former Marianas High School Dolphin, who also plays for Guam in FIBA-sanctioned tournaments, said it’s unfortunate because he believes he could’ve been an X factor for the team.

“I know I could’ve been a big help to the team. My teammates from the Guam National Basketball Team are not going as they’re bringing a very young team,” said Cruz, who has so far averaged 10.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 314 total games in the PBA.

Prior to the decision to not bring him to the 2024 Micronesian Games, Cruz already told Saipan Tribune about his commitment to the CNMI national team, saying “I just want to give back, man. I want to show them that my heart is always with Saipan [and the CNMI]. That’s where I started my basketball career and I want to be back.”

Cruz, who averages 14.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists playing in 10 games for Guam, said he understands the NMIBF’s decision not to bring him to Majuro.

“I’m thinking there might be no more flights available. So, I don’t really feel bad about the decision by [the NMIBF] and coach Ruf to not bring me to the Micro Games,” he said.

Still, Cruz thinks it’s a missed opportunity for him to once again don the latte stone and mwarmwar flag of the CNMI in the Micro Games after he also represented the islands in the 2008 FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament.

“I really wanted to play and I really want to give the CNMI a gold medal in the Micronesian Games before I retire. I’m already 33 and turning 34 in October. My goal is really to give the islands—the CNMI—a gold medal or at least any medal before I finally hang it up. I’m not LeBron so I cannot play [until I’m 40],” he told Saipan Tribune.

Lee, for his part, confirmed with Saipan Tribune the scarcity of flights indeed led to the decision not to bring Cruz anymore to the Marshall Islands.

“There were very limited available flights from the start going to Majuro. More so at the last minute. Jericho could maybe have to go through Australia from the Philippines, but that would have cost almost $10,000 just for the airfare. Leaving the island after the games is also another story. Probably, he won’t be able to leave until the first week of July,” he said.

Cruz reassured the CNMI community that he remains steadfast in representing the islands he grew up in and developed his passion for basketball.

“I was really willing to play and I want to represent the islands I grew up in, but things didn’t go our way and things didn’t go my way. I really want to go out there and play with the boys. I’m still in their group chat. If I can fly now, I can go there as in right now and go play ball with them.”