Red Lions find new go-to guy

San Beda forward Art dela Cruz TRISTAN TAMAYO/INQUIRER.net

Often overshadowed by his more illustrious teammates, veteran San Beda forward Art dela Cruz found the perfect time to deliver one of his finest games in the NCAA Saturday.

With Ola Adeogun and Baser Amer sidelined by injuries, Dela Cruz took the cudgels for the defending champion Red Lions who came away with a 102-89 win over the Mapua Cardinals to kickstart their bid for a sixth straight championship in Season 91.

Dela Cruz dished out MVP-like numbers, finishing with 27 points, 17 rebounds and six assists at Mall of Asia Arena in a performance that drew praise from the squad’s new coach Jamike Jarin.

“The thing with smart players like Art is you give them a bit of freedom and make decisions because most of the time, players like him make the right decisions on the court,” said Jarin.

“His versatility is what sets him apart. His game is multifaceted and you only appreciate it when you’re coaching him.”

Dela Cruz scored heavily on floaters and mid-range jumpshots apart from providing pinpoint passes inside the paint. He also pounced on a porous Mapua interior defense and dominated the boards.

“He’s not a flashy player, that’s why he doesn’t get a lot of attention. But Art gets the job done,” said Jarin, who coached Dela Cruz when the forward was a freshman at Ateneo, where Jarin was an assistant to Norman Black.

Dela Cruz is expected to continue bearing the brunt for the Lions with Amer likely to be sidelined for the next two weeks due to a shoulder injury. Adeogun suffers from a hamstring problem sustained during the PBA D-League stint with Hapee.

“We expect Art to step up, being one of the leaders of the team,” said Jarin.