Mark Cruz
{{short description|Filipino basketball player}}
{{Philippine name|Lu|Cruz}}
{{Use Philippine English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Mark Cruz
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| number = 9
| position = Point guard
| team = GenSan Warriors
| nationality = Filipino
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|7|27}}
| birth_place = Quezon City, Philippines
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 6
| weight_lbs = 150
| high school = Letran (Manila)
| college = Letran
| draft_year_pba = 2015
| draft_round_pba = 3
| draft_pick_pba = 30
| draft_team_pba = Star Hotshots
| team1 = Star Hotshots
| years1 = 2015–2016
| team2 = Phoenix Fuel Masters
| years2 = 2016
| team3 = Blackwater Elite
| years3 = 2017–2018
| team4 = Pampanga Giant Lanterns
| years4 = 2019–2020
| team5 = Bicol Volcanoes
| years5 = 2021
| team6 = GenSan / South Cotabato Warriors
| years6 = 2022–present
| highlights =
- NCAA Philippines champion (2015)
- NCAA Philippines Finals Most Valuable Player (2015)
- NCAA Philippines Three-point Shootout Champion (2015)
}}
Mark Lu Cruz (born July 27, 1992) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the South Cotabato Warriors franchise of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and Pilipinas Super League (PSL). He earned the moniker Ant Man during his days in the NCAA.{{cite news |last=Naredo |first=Camille |title='Ant-Man' Cruz thrilled to inspire undersized players |url=http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/07/23/15/ant-man-cruz-thrilled-inspire-undersized-players |publisher=ABS-CBN News |date=July 23, 2015 |access-date=October 30, 2015}}
College career
Cruz studied at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran and played for the Letran Knights varsity squad. Teaming up with Kevin Alas and Raymond Almazan, and later Kevin Racal and Rey Nambatac, he propelled the Knights to the finals in 2012 and 2013, only to lose to the San Beda Red Lions on both occasions.{{cite web|last1=Riego|first1=Norman Lee Benjamin|title=Letran bests San Beda for first title since 2005|url=http://sports.abs-cbn.com/ncaa/news/2015/10/29/letran-bests-san-beda-first-title-since-2005-5924|publisher=ABS-CBN Sports|accessdate=October 31, 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Domingo|first1=Mia Rengie Angela Domingo|title=Small but terrible Mark Cruz stands tall, brings home the 'suka' for the Letran Knights|url=http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/small-but-terrible-mark-cruz-stands-tall-brings-home-the-suka-for-the-letran-knights|publisher=InterAKTV|accessdate=October 30, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909212329/http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/small-but-terrible-mark-cruz-stands-tall-brings-home-the-suka-for-the-letran-knights|archive-date=September 9, 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=NCAA Season 89 Finals Game 3: San Beda vs Letran|url=http://live.philstar.com/Event/NCAA_Season_89_Finals_Game_3_San_Beda_vs_Letran?Page=5|publisher=Philstar.com|accessdate=October 30, 2015}} After missing the Final Four the year before, he flourished under new coach Aldin Ayo, leading the Knights in his final collegiate year.{{cite web|last1=Bracher|first1=Jane|title=Mark Cruz ready to lead Letran Knights in his final year|date=July 2, 2015 |url=http://www.rappler.com/sports/university/ncaa/98097-mark-cruz-lead-letran-knights-final-year|publisher=Rappler|accessdate=October 30, 2015}} In 2015, he led the Knights to an NCAA Championship against their nemesis San Beda, ending a 10-year title drought. He was awarded the Finals MVP.{{cite web|last1=Leongson|first1=Randolph|title=Smallest man stands tallest as Mark Cruz named Finals MVP|url=http://sports.inquirer.net/197570/smallest-man-stands-tallest-as-mark-cruz-named-finals-mvp|work=Inquirer.net|date=October 29, 2015 |accessdate=October 30, 2015}}
Professional career
Cruz was drafted 30th overall in the 2015 Rookie Draft by the Star Hotshots.{{cite web|title=Full Results: 2015 PBA Rookie Draft|date=August 23, 2015 |url=http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/534047/sports/basketball/full-results-2015-pba-rookie-draft|publisher=GMANetwork.com|accessdate=October 30, 2015}} Unlike his fellow rookies, he signed a one-conference contract with the Hotshots. In his PBA debut he tallied 7 points, 2 rebounds and 1 steal in a loss to the San Miguel Beermen{{cite web|last1=Sacamos|first1=Karlo|title=Mark Cruz thankful for one-conference Star deal, draws confidence from mentor Abarrientos|url=http://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/news/mark-cruz-doesnt-mind-one-conference-contract-with-s|publisher=SPIN.ph|accessdate=November 5, 2015}} In May 2016, Cruz was traded by Star to Phoenix Fuel Masters in a three-team trade that also involved GlobalPort Batang Pier.{{cite news |title=Star lands RR Garcia in 8-player trade with GlobalPort, Phoenix |url=http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/star-lands-rr-garcia-in-8-player-trade-with-globalport-phoenix |work=InterAksyon |date=May 11, 2016 |accessdate=May 31, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624051050/http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/star-lands-rr-garcia-in-8-player-trade-with-globalport-phoenix |archive-date=June 24, 2016 |url-status=dead }}
Personal life
Cruz is the younger brother of former UP Fighting Maroons star and PBA player Marvin Cruz.{{cite news|last1=Baybado|first1=Daryl Angelo|title=Fearless Knight|url=http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/168744/fearless-knight|accessdate=August 29, 2015|work=lifestyle.inquirer.net|date=August 16, 2014}} His favorite player growing up was Jimmy Alapag. He took up a degree in Operations Management and hopes to start a business someday.{{cite web|last1=Olivares|first1=Matthew|title=Mark Cruz: In the land of the giants|url=http://www.philstar.com/unblogged/sports/2014/06/02/1330237/mark-cruz-in-land-giants|work=Philippine Star|accessdate=October 30, 2015}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{navboxes|list=
{{2015 PBA draft}}
{{Letran Knights 2015-2016 NCAA Men's Senior Basketball Champions}}
{{NCAA Men's Basketball Finals MVP Award}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruz, Mark}}
Category:Filipino men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Quezon City
Category:Letran Knights basketball players
Category:Magnolia Hotshots draft picks
Category:Magnolia Hotshots players
Category:Phoenix Fuel Masters players
Category:Blackwater Bossing players
Category:Pampanga Giant Lanterns players
Category:Bicolandia Oragons players