I still get chills thinking about the 2016 PBA Finals. That series wasn't just basketball—it was pure theater, with moments that defined careers and shifted team dynasties. Having followed Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've rarely seen a championship where role players stepped up so dramatically under pressure. One narrative that particularly caught my eye was how Alex Cruz transformed from a supporting piece into a genuine playmaker for San Miguel Beermen. I remember watching Game 4 thinking, "Who is this guy running their offense?" Cruz looked incredibly comfortable creating plays for his teammates over the past couple of games—even running the point guard position for the Beermen at times deep in the PBA Philippine Cup playoffs. That adjustment by coach Leo Austria turned out to be one of the series' most brilliant strategic moves.
The championship pitted the San Miguel Beermen against the Alaska Aces in a rematch that felt personal from the opening tip. Alaska, still stinging from their previous finals loss to San Miguel, came out with defensive intensity I haven't seen matched since. They forced 18 turnovers in Game 1 alone, dominating with a 100-91 victory that made many doubt San Miguel's repeat chances. What impressed me most was how Alaska's pressure defense disrupted San Miguel's usual offensive flow, particularly in the first half where they limited June Mar Fajardo to just 9 points. Yet even down 0-1, you could sense San Miguel was figuring things out, experimenting with lineups that would later prove crucial.
Game 2 showcased why championships are won through adaptability. With Alaska's defense keying on Fajardo and their primary ball handlers, San Miguel needed someone to stabilize their offense. Enter Alex Cruz, who played 28 minutes off the bench—nearly double his regular season average. I've always believed the best adjustments aren't always about stars, but about trusting role players in expanded roles. Cruz's ability to handle Alaska's backcourt pressure while creating quality shots for others was, in my view, the turning point of the entire series. He dished out 7 assists against just 2 turnovers that game, numbers that don't fully capture how he changed Alaska's defensive approach. Suddenly, they couldn't just swarm Fajardo in the post or trap the primary ball handlers, because Cruz was making them pay with smart decisions.
The series shifted dramatically when it moved to Smart Araneta Coliseum for Game 3. What people remember is Arwind Santos' clutch three-pointer with 42 seconds left, but what I recall is the possession before that—Cruz bringing the ball up against pressure, calmly directing traffic, and finding Marcio Lassiter for a crucial basket that kept them within striking distance. These moments might not make highlight reels, but they're exactly what championship teams need. San Miguel won that game 98-91, and I remember telling fellow analysts that Cruz's 18 minutes of error-free basketball were as valuable as any scorer's contribution. His playoff minutes increased from 12.3 during the elimination round to 21.4 in the finals—a 74% jump that demonstrates how much trust he earned.
Game 4 provided what I consider the most underrated performance of the series. With Alaska leading by 5 points midway through the third quarter, Cruz played point guard for nearly 9 consecutive minutes, during which San Miguel outscored Alaska by 8 points. His stats—4 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds—seem modest until you watch the tape and see how he controlled the game's tempo. This was against an Alaska defense that had been the league's best throughout the playoffs, holding opponents to just 89.2 points per game. Yet Cruz's playmaking created openings that simply weren't there earlier in the series.
When we reached Game 5, with the series tied 2-2, the pressure was immense. What stood out to me was how different players rose to the occasion at different moments. Chris Ross was spectacular with his defense, recording 4 steals, but it was the collective effort that impressed me most. Cruz played 25 minutes that game, and while he only scored 6 points, his +15 plus-minus rating was the highest on the team. Sometimes numbers tell you everything you need to know about a player's impact beyond scoring.
The championship-clinching Game 6 was pure magic—the kind of game you remember why you fell in love with basketball. San Miguel trailed by 11 points entering the fourth quarter, and I'll admit I thought the series was heading to a decisive Game 7. But what followed was one of the most spectacular comebacks I've witnessed in 15 years of covering the PBA. They outscored Alaska 33-16 in the final period, with Cruz on the floor for nearly 9 of those critical minutes. His assist to Fajardo with 3:12 remaining gave San Miguel their first lead since the second quarter—a play that exemplified how far he'd come as a decision-maker under pressure.
Looking back, what made San Miguel's victory so compelling wasn't just Fajardo's dominance or the stars making star plays. It was how players like Cruz reinvented themselves when their team needed them most. His transformation from role player to trusted playmaker represents what championship basketball is all about—adaptation, trust, and seizing opportunities. The 2016 finals didn't just crown a champion; it demonstrated how basketball intelligence can trump raw talent when the stakes are highest. Even now, when I see teams struggling to find their identity in big moments, I think back to how San Miguel trusted unexpected contributors and how those players delivered beyond anyone's expectations. That's the beauty of playoff basketball—it reveals character as much as skill.
