Canaleta, Cruz give good account of themselves in Elite debut

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

With a chance to force overtime late in Blackwater’s game against TNT on Friday, new recruits Nino Canaleta and Mark Cruz found themselves in a precarious position.

As the clock continued to trickle down and the swarming KaTropa defense out to deny any semblance of an attempt, the two had to make a decision on who will take the final shot for the Elite. Cruz opted to pass the rock to Canaleta at the right wing as the veteran forward heaved one final shot at the buzzer.

Unfortunately, their moment for glory was for naught, as Blackwater stumbled to a 92-89 defeat, its fourth this 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

READ: After stellar D-League stint, Cruz joins Blackwater

While nothing came out of what could’ve been a deciding play, Cruz and Canaleta kept their heads held high after getting some encouragement from their teammates and coaches.

“We didn’t hear anything from them and they encouraged me after the game. I can feel their confidence in me,” said Canaleta.

“The coaches told me it was a good pass. Coach Leo (Isaac) entrusted me to mak, telling me that if I had a good shot, I should go for it, but if there’s a better option, we’ll give it there, and that’s what I did,” said Cruz added.

READ: TNT pulls rug from under Blackwater

Though the two weren’t able to deliver a victory for the Elite, the late game situation shouldn’t overshadow the commendable effort the two poured out in their debut.

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Cruz had all of his seven points in the second half, while Canaleta drained six markers and hauled down four rebounds in his first game in a Blackwater jersey.

Traded to the Elite just last Wednesday, the 11-year veteran Canaleta admitted struggling after just practicing with the team for a day,

“I felt throughout the game that I’m having a hard time getting with my shots,” he said, after going 2-of-12 from beyond the arc.

READ: Canaleta goes to Blackwater in three-player swap

Still, Canaleta is taking this paltry outing as a motivation for him to perform better in the coming games.
“It’s a challenge for me personally so that I can prove that I can still play.”

The diminutive Cruz, meanwhile, is just glad to get back in the PBA after spending the past conference with Tanduay in the PBA D-League.

“I feel so blessed, but that doesn’t mean that I already have the spot. I have to work hard for it and prove that I can still help the team,” he said.

Plucked from the free agent pool also on Wednesday, Cruz has his full confidence on himself that sooner or later, he can get his rhythm as the Elite continue to seek their first win this conference.

“It wasn’t really that hard because I’m familiar with coach Leo. I just felt tired, but I’m a fighter and I know that I can fight through it. I just need to have minimal adjustments, especially on the plays.”

Despite the loss, the early returns from Canaleta and Cruz have been promising, and the two hopes to further integrate themselves with the squad when Blackwater faces GlobalPort next Saturday.