Francisco_Cruz

Francisco Cruz

Francisco Cruz

Mexican basketball player

This article is about the Mexican basketball player. For the Honduran politician, see Francisco Cruz Castro. For the Spanish footballer, see Fran Cruz.

Francisco "Pako" Javier Cruz Saldívar (born October 3, 1989) is a Mexican professional basketball player for Manisa Büyükşehir Belediyespor of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi. He also represents the senior Mexico national basketball team. He played NCAA Division I college basketball at Wyoming. He is a 1.91 m (6'3") tall shooting guard, that can also play as a small forward.

Quick Facts No. 9 – Manisa Büyükşehir Belediyespor, Position ...

High school

Cruz attended and played basketball at Abraham Lincoln High School, in Denver, Colorado.

College career

After high school, Cruz played college basketball. He first played at Western Nebraska Community College (JUCO), from 2008 to 2010. He then transferred to Wyoming (NCAA Division I), where he played with the Wyoming Cowboys, from 2010 to 2012.

Professional career

Cruz began his pro career with the Mexican League club Halcones Rojos, in 2012. In 2015, he moved the Argentine League club Ciclista Olímpico. He then joined the Latvian club VEF Rīga, with which he played in the VTB United League.

In 2016, he joined the Spanish club Fuenlabrada, of the Liga ACB and European-wide 2nd-tier level EuroCup.[1]

On 3 August 2019, he signed with Rytas Vilnius of the Lithuanian Basketball League.[2]

On August 15, 2020, he has signed with Afyon Belediye of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi.[3]

On June 25, 2021, he has signed with Tofaş of the Basketbol Süper Ligi.[4]

National team career

Cruz is a member of the senior Mexico national basketball team. With Mexico, he played at the 2014 FIBA World Cup,[5] and at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship. He also played at the 2016 Turin FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and at the 2017 FIBA AmeriCup, where he won a bronze medal, and was named to the All-Tournament Team.[6]

References

  1. [1]
    Francisco Cruz, más arsenal para el perímetro del Montakit Fuenlabrada (in Spanish).
  2. [2]
    "Vilniaus "Ryte" – snaiperis iš Meksikos — BC "Rytas"". rytasvilnius.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  3. [3]
    "Afyon ink Paco Cruz". Sportando. August 15, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  4. [4]
    "Pako Cruz Tofaş'ta". tofasspor.com (in Turkish). June 25, 2021. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  5. [5]
    "FIBA profile". fiba.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  6. [6]
    Francisco CRUZ (MEX).
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