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Area Sports
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January 14, 2008 06:18:15
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Cruz-in to another career high
St. Mary's sharpshooter tops personal best in three straight games
The high school basketball season was about to begin, and veteran St. Mary's of Jersey City boys' head coach Tom Lalicato had a bit of a dilemma.
His roster ravaged by graduation, Lalicato needed to find someone to step in and be the Ramblers' leading scorer. There were only two players returning from a year ago that had varsity experience, namely Emmanuel Holmes and Juan Cruz.
Cruz seemed to be the most likely candidate to become that go-to guy.
"Juan did well last year in the playoffs," Lalicato said of the 5-11 senior guard, who scored just five points per game last year. "He had some good nights for us. I looked at him and said to him that he had been in the battle before and we had to look to him to be a leader. We named him a captain and handed him the responsibility of being the team's leader."
But to have someone transform from a five-point per game reserve to a leading scorer during one off-season? It was certainly asking a lot.
"We felt that in the minutes he played last year, he scored," Lalicato said. "If we increased his minutes, then it would increase his scoring average. But basically, we had no choice. He was one of only two returning players."
Lalicato already knew that Cruz was a standout baseball player, so the athleticism that Cruz showed as a pitcher and middle infielder for the Ramblers in the spring might just carry over to the hardwood.
"He's one of the best baseball players we have," said Lalicato, who is also the school's athletic director. "He's primarily a baseball player who happened to play basketball."
Cruz even admitted such.
"I've always played basketball just to stay in shape for baseball," Cruz said. "Baseball is my main sport, but once basketball season starts, I concentrate on basketball. I play basketball a lot and I knew that my role was going to be more important this year, so I played a little more. Coach [Lalicato] told me that he needed me to step up this year and that I was going to get more touches."
But no one could have ever imagined how much of a transformation as a basketball player that Cruz would enjoy.
In fact, Cruz has gone from a little-used reserve to a sure-fire scorer, averaging better than 20 points per game.
"It's definitely remarkable," Cruz said. "It's a big difference. I never expected this. It's nice to be able to do it."
"He met the responsibility that we handed to him," Lalicato said. "He's really come on strong."
Over the last week, it's almost astonishing just how strong, as Cruz has set three career-high scoring totals in his last three games.
The streak of personal bests started when Cruz went for 24 points in a win over Union Catholic. It continued when Cruz tallied 25 in a win over HCIAA Seglio rival McNair Academic.
Last Monday, Cruz turned the trick again, going for 29 points in the Ramblers' huge victory over St. Joseph of the Palisades.
Three straight games, three straight career-highs.
"That's just crazy," Cruz said. "I can't even explain that. I've just been feeling more confident. I've been practicing my shots every day, at least 101 shots each day, so I'm definitely feeling it."
For his efforts, Cruz has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week and the first honoree of 2008.
Cruz believes that confidence is the key to his amazing ascent from little-used reserve to team leading scorer.
"I'm definitely way more confident than I was in the past and I'm looking for my shot more," Cruz said. "I'm taking better shots and I'm making them."
In fact, Cruz has been dead-on from 3-point range, connecting on 12 long-range shots during the three-game stretch.
It's almost reminiscent of the hot shooting season that was enjoyed by another former Rambler, Josh Lopez, two years ago before he headed on to play at New Jersey City University.
"He's falling right into that line right now," Lalicato said. "His shooting range is equal to what Josh had for us. Juan also has the same kind of personality that Josh had. He knows how good he can be, as good as he wants to be."
Lalicato believes that Cruz' improvement begins with his approach to the game.
"He's very serious in practice," Lalicato said. "He takes every minute on the floor very seriously. He's always trying to do exactly what he's asked. His commitment to the game is tremendous now that we're counting on him so much. He's definitely changed and taken over the role as a leader. We didn't have too many we could count on. He saw that and took over."
Lalicato said that Cruz' rapid rise is very similar to the one enjoyed by former Rambler Justin Gardenhire in 2004, when he went from a back-up point guard the previous year to a Hudson Reporter First Team All-Area honoree and the HCIAA Seglio Player of the Year that season.
"Juan is following that same pattern," Lalicato said. "Before that season, Justin was on the team, but never got in. But he improved so much and had a great senior year. Juan is doing the same thing. I'm pleasantly surprised at the ways he can score and the shots he is now making. He's making moves to the basket and converting on dribble-drives. He's just a much better player."
Lalicato has been enthused with the play that his new senior leader is providing.
"He's making me feel energized," Lalicato said. "He's buying into the system, going deep into the system and making the right passes. He's accepted the role as our leader and is telling the younger ones what to do and we basically have a young team. It's very rewarding seeing him get to this point."
Lalicato said that Cruz was on his team for an entire year before he found out that Cruz was the nephew of former Rambler Luis LeBron.
"Luis came to see him play and it was good to see him," Lalicato said. "But I never knew Juan was his nephew. He's a very quiet young man."
Needless to say, the Ramblers' quiet leader is making a lot of noise on the court.
"It's definitely been a lot of fun," Cruz said. "I just hope it continues. We have a lot of season in front of us, a lot of big games."
And Cruz is no longer just a baseball player who happens to play basketball. He's a basketball standout.
"I always figured that I would get my attention for baseball," Cruz said.
He's legitimately a two-sport standout now. - Jim Hague
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