Bong dela Cruz explained

Bong dela Cruz
Nationality:	Filipino
College:	Adamson
Draft Year Pba:	1996
Draft Round Pba:	5
Draft Pick Pba:	17
Draft Team Pba:	Pepsi Mega
Coach Start:	2012
Cyears1:	2012–2014
Cteam1:	UST (assistant)
Cyears2:	2014–2016
Cteam2:	UST
Cyears3:	2020–2021
Cteam3:	Pasig Sta. Lucia Realtors
Highlights:	As assistant coach PCCL champion (2012)

Segundo "Bong" dela Cruz III is a Filipino coach.

Career

He served as an assistant coach for the UST Growling Tigers. He was promoted to head coach when Pido Jarencio resigned.^[1] He led the Tigers in a finals appearance in 2015, but lost to FEU Tamaraws. He served as head coach until 2016.^[2]

He also served as head coach of Pasig Sta. Lucia Realtors of the MPBL.^{[3] [4]}

Controversy

Game-fixing

In the early part of the 2016, the Growling Tigers management investigated UST head coach Bong dela Cruz for the alleged involvement in game-fixing. A report from sports news website Fastbreak states from a source that the management disbanded the men's basketball team due to game-fixing and sell-out games allegations.^[5]

Maltreating UST players

In his second year of coaching UST, Dela Cruz was accused of maltreating players while on practice. ^{[6] [7] [8] [9]} The maltreatment and abusive incidents against some of the players, particularly players from Team B, during his two-year term as a coach. Sooner, the media has yet to confirm the statement regarding the issue on Dela Cruz.^[10]

Dela Cruz, later in a statement released on February 1, 2016, said that since the issues emerged, he decided to keep quiet about it. He denies the allegations against him and is confident that he will be proven innocent of the issues against him.^[11]

Dela Cruz was later by Boy Sablan.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Villar . Joey . Dela Cruz takes helm as new UST coach . 2024-07-25 . Philstar.com.
2. Web site: Terrado . Reuben . FEU Tamaraws outduel UST in Game Three thriller, win first UAAP title in a decade . 2024-07-25 . Spin.ph . en.
3. Web site: Terrado . Reuben . Jeric Teng finds new home in MPBL with Pasig Sta. Lucia . 2024-07-25 . Spin.ph . en.
4. Web site: 2021-12-18 . Pasig-Sta Lucia seals MPBL Pool A top seed, awaits San Juan or Nueva Ecija in QF . 2024-07-25 . Tiebreaker Times . en-US.
5. News: No heart, no chance? Sellout disbands UST. Fastbreak PH. January 28, 2016. February 1, 2016.
6. Web site: Leyba . Olmin . UST coach denies charges . 2024-07-25 . Philstar.com.
7. Web site: UST sinimulan na ang imbestigasyon kay dela Cruz . 2024-07-25 . Philstar.com.
8. Web site: Leyba . Olmin . UST coach under probe for alleged maltreatment . 2024-07-25 . Philstar.com.
9. Web site: UST coach Dela Cruz finally speaks up, denies maltreatment claims . 2024-07-25 . Philstar.com.
10. News: UST source details maltreatment, violence allegedly committed by coach Bong Dela Cruz against players. Terrado. Reuben. SPIN.ph. January 28, 2016. February 1, 2016.
11. News: UST coach Bong Dela Cruz insists he is 'innocent' of 'issues' against him. Rappler. February 1, 2016. February 1, 2016.