PBA fans from the 1980s often compare Ramon "Onchie" Dela Cruz, a tough-as-nails point guard who didn't back down from anyone, with the original tough-and-rough point guard, Robert "Sonny" Jaworski. And right in their very first face-off in the pros, Dela Cruz showed the Big J just how tough he was.
Joining Tanduay as a rookie in 1985, Dela Cruz wasted no time introducing himself to basketball fans as a fearless player who would do everything he could to stop an opposing player, even if it required employing dirty tactics.
On Tuesday on An Eternity of Basketball, the 5-foot-11 Dela Cruz talked about his PBA experience, his clashes with Jaworski, the championships he won, players he struggled to defend and brushes he had with top-caliber imports like Wes Matthews, Sr. and Carlos Briggs.
Junior Jaworski
Dubbed the junior version of Jaworski, Dela Cruz admitted idolizing the "Living Legend". But in his very first game with the Rhum Makers, Dela Cruz wanted to show he belonged to the pros. And what better way to make himself known than during a Tanduay-Ginebra elimination round match.
"Sinasabi nila na Junior Jaworski daw ako. Eh idol ko din yun kasi napakagaling din sa game," he shared. "So nung time na yun, naglalaro ako sa Tanduay, kinuha nila ako at sabi sa akin ni coach (Orly) Castelo, first five ka ha. Eh di naglaro ako at para daw akong beterano eh first game ko lang as a rookie naka-eight points ata ako."
One time, during a rebound sequence, Dela Cruz tried to rough up Jaworski, who was known for his infamous "karate chop" defense: "Dati di ba may ano (injury) sa groin yan, so sinusundot ko siya sa groin niya, saka pag nakatanga yan sa rebound, biglang buwelo ako sa likod at sa spinal niya bubungguin ko pag naka-relax siya. Eh masakit yun kasi ko-collapse ka."
What happened next caught him off guard. "Eh ginawa sa akin niyan, chinap niya ako sa lalamunan. Isang linggong masakit ang lalamunan ko. Na thrown out din ako. Eh galit na galit ako. Nag-iba andar ng utak ko. Di ako nakaganti," recalled Dela Cruz.
Dela Cruz said he did get a chance later on to get back at Jaworski, which he regretted. "Hinampas ko sa mukha si Sonny. Talagang di ako pinapansin niyan (after)," he said.
It was only until during his post-PBA career that he and Jaworski somehow got a chance to talk again when helped organize a PBA legends game in the United States.
"Nung nagkaroon ng PBA Legends sa Amerika, at nalaman niya na 'Ah, si Onchie nag-ano nito,' kasi binigyan namin siya ng magandang hotel kasama pamilya so ayun, okay na, kinausap na niya ako," he recounted.
Dela Cruz said he tried out for Ginebra towards the latter portion of his PBA career, giving his best and impressing everyone during practice.
But to his surprise he wasn't offered a contract the league's most popular squad, eventually leaving him with no choice but to hang his sneakers at the end of the 1994 season.
Spitting at Wes Matthews
Assigned to defend super imports who stand 6-feet-2 inches or below, Dela Cruz admitted he did his very best to limit the production of the likes of Matthews and Briggs.
Matthews, a two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1980s, and Briggs, a high-scoring import, both played for the Ginebra franchise.
Of course, PBA fans will never forget how Dela Cruz, then playing for Presto, tried to stop Matthews during their team's clash with Ginebra in the 1991 Third Conference.
"Kasi nung time na yan, si (Presto team manager Ignacio) Gotao ayaw niya matalo kami. Sabi niya, 'Hindi puwedeng matalo tayo diyan. Onchie, halika, ako bahala sa iyo. Suntok mo si Wes Matthews.' So sabi ko, 'Boss, kaya kong suntukin yan, pero paano naman ako. Baka matanggalan ako ng lisensya. Eh sasagutin mo pamilya ko?' Hindi naman siya makakibo ng ganun."
Gotao, though, insisted he needed to do everything he could to prevent Matthews from dominating in the game.
"'Basta gawan mo paraan," said Dela Cruz, in recalling Gotao's orders to him. "Naisip ko duraan na lang sa mukha kasi kapag sinuntok ako siyempre mauuna makikita ng referee na suntukin niya ako so magsusuntukan kami," he added.
But Dela Cruz admitted stopping Matthews was just next to impossible because of the former NBA guard's athleticism and superb scoring ability.
"Ang hirap bantayan niyan. Eh alam mo, mahina ako mag-English. Kapag wina-warningan ako, sabihin ko lang sa kanya, 'Remember, you're in Philippines. Iyun lang ang English ko," shared Dela Cruz, who played in the PBA from 1985 to 1994.
Dela Cruz's reputation as an enforcer though was fast gaining ground so much so that imports would often approach him prior to the start of the game.
"Iyan sila Dexter Shouse sasabihan ako niyan. Nagugulat ako kasi pag may import pagdating dito saPilipinas, mga 6-1 o 6-2, kilala ako niyan. Sasabihan ako, 'Hi Onchie, don't hit me okay," said Dela Cruz. "'Okay, don't shoot man, don't shoot,'" he'd snap back.
Briggs, best remembered for scoring 80 points or more three times during the 1989 Reinforced Conference, was also another tough import assignment for Dela Cruz.
"Si Carlos Briggs binara ko sa tagiliran niyan. Ang galing nun, ang hirap bantayan," he said.
Dela Cruz remembered how he'd frequently appear at then PBA commissioner Rudy Salud's office after dishing out rough tactics on his opponents.
"Pinagalitan nga ako ni Rudy Salud. Nung maganda ang laro ko nun, sabi niya sa akin, 'Tuloy-tuloy mo yan kasi maganda na laro mo, pero ayaw ko na makita mukha mo dito sa office,'" shared the Tondo-born guard. 'Pero wala pang dalawang linggo, nandoon na naman ako."
Tough locals to defend
Among the many stars in the pro league, he named Ricky Brown, Hector Calma, Jaworski and a young Johnny Abarrientos as the three local players he had difficulty defending.
Brown, the 1985 PBA MVP, was a noted scorer who could scorch his defender inside and outside.
In fact, the Fil-American guard nicknamed "The Quick Brown Fox", faced Dela Cruz twice in the finals in 1986 and 1987.
"Hirap na hirap ako kay Ricky Brown kasi di mo alam ang galaw niya. Para siyang ninja," explained Dela Cruz. "One time nagkalaban kami, naga-agawan kami ng bola so inunahan ko siya kumuha ng bola at na-head butt ko siya nung pagyuko niya. Nabiyak dito niya," Dela Cruz, pointing to his lip.
"Sabi ni Brown, 'Onchie, bakit mo ako parati sinasaktan? Ano ba ang ginawa ko sa iyo?' Wala akong masabi, eh. Sabi ko na lang na huwag ka na lang shoo-myut."
Another player he had a hard time defending was Calma.
A former national teammate in 1982 and 1983 when they both represented the country in the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games, Dela Cruz said Calma's variety of moves made life difficult for him as a defender.
"Mahirap bantayan si Hector. Iba maglaro si Hector kasi talagang di mo alam kelan siya su-shoot," noted Dela Cruz, who turns 60 late this November. "Kasi ang bagal niya gumalaw pero biglang mawawala siya sa harap mo, so hahabulin mo. Biglang titira o papasa siya."
In fact, compared to Abarrientos and Jaworski, Dela Cruz believes Calma is the better player. "Marami siyang (Calma) galaw kaysa kay Johnny. Para sa akin, no. 1 siya. Mas nagagalingan ako sa kanya," he stressed.
Calma, a member of the 25 and 40 PBA Greatest Players, won a total of nine league titles as a player, including the 1989 Grand Slam with San Miguel Beer.
Still, Dela Cruz said he has high respect for Abarrientos, with whom he had an opportunity to guard in 1993.
"Nung kalaban namin ang Alaska, binigyan ako ng one-on-one kay Johnny. Eh ako naman tuwang tuwa kasi masi-single ko si Johnny," he recalled.
"Eh binigyan ako ng play. Kaya lang di ko maitulak, ang lakas pala ng bewang niyan," added Dela Cruz, as he came away impressed by Abarrientos' body strength as a rookie.
"Inaatrasan ko sa low post ko, eh kukuyugin naman ako ng malalaki nila, sila (Alex) Araneta so biglang maglalapitan sila sa akin. Eh siyempre batang bata yan, eh kami pawala na rin sa PBA," he shared.
Championship moments
Dela Cruz may have been cast oftentimes in a bad light because of his tough approach to his defenders. Yet the guard managed to make his mark on a Tanduay team that had Ramon Fernandez, Freddie Hubalde, defensive whiz Padim Israel, Willie Generalao and JB Yango.
Tanduay came close to winning a Grand Slam after winning the 1986 Reinforced and All-Filipino Conferences. And in 1987, Tanduay took the Open Conference crown behind Best Import David Thirdkill.
In all these championships, Dela Cruz provided stability at the point, instant offense, and solid defense.
"Maganda nilaro ko nun tapos magkaka-award pa pala ako," Dela Cruz said, recalling how he never imagined he'd be honored with a Finals MVP award during the 1987 Open Conference.
"Siyempre ang kalaban ko si Mon Fernandez saka Freddie Hubalde para sa best local player nun. Eh mga sikat yan eh, tapos ako bago lang akong naglalaro," he added.
Dela Cruz's last PBA title came in the 1990 All-Filipino Conference when he suited up for the Presto/Great Taste franchise.
At a disadvantage when top gunner Allan Caidic hurt his shooting arm in the title series against a young and hungry Purefoods, Dela Cruz recalled how pundits counted them out for a championship.
"Siyempre wala si Caidic sa Game 7. Eh sabi ko dapat mag-double effort kami dito kasi marami nagsasabi na di kayo magcha-champion kasi malaking bagay si Caidic sa amin," reasoned Dela Cruz.
But with veterans like Abe King, Manny Victorino, Arnie Tuadles and Generalao also rising to the occasion, Presto surprised the Alvin Patrimonio-led Purefoods squad to dominate Game 7 and win the All-Filipino Conference crown.
Admittedly, Dela Cruz said basketball was easy for him as a point guard with Caidic on the floor.
"No. 1 eh hinahanap ko kaagad si Allan. Magde-decoy kami diyan at bubuka agad sila so ang gagawin ko eh di-dribble ako tapos biglang zigzag at lalawit siya bigla para tumira. Ang dali ng basketball sa amin ni Allan diyan," recalled Dela Cruz.
Dela Cruz closed out his PBA career with Shell after his stint with Presto, retiring at the end of the 1994 season. He owns an average of 6.7 points in 351 career games.