Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Basketball

Chris Ross cherishes 10th title, embracing unique player-coach role


Chris Ross and other remnants of the famed ‘Death Five’ entered elite company following San Miguel’s conquest of the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup.

Together with seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter, the trio has now won 10 championships each after helping the Beermen take down Magnolia anew in Game 6 of the Finals, Wednesday night.

With that, they have joined 16 other players to have won that many league crowns, with Ramon Fernandez still on top with 19 to his name.

But making it all the more special for the decorated playmaker is that it is his first title since being appointed as a playing assistant coach for SMB.

“It feels good, man,” Ross told reporters moments after their come-from-behind 104-102 victory at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

It’s a different feeling now for the 38-year-old. Not only is he playing, but he’s become more involved with the staff led by head coach Jorge Gallent.

“The only thing that changed now is that I’m actually in the coaches’ meeting sometimes. They let me get my rest if I need rest. If I want to come, then I can come,” the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup BPC shared.

“I know the hard work that the coaches put in. This is a different perspective for me. I have so much more respect for the coaches,” he added.

2023-24-PBA-Commissioners-Cup-San-Miguel-Beermen Chris Ross cherishes 10th title, embracing unique player-coach role Basketball News PBA  - philippine sports newsStill, he’s very much active on the court, and was once again an important figure in San Miguel’s latest golden run that gave the franchise its 29th title.

Ross finished with nine points, none bigger than the go-ahead three-pointer from the right corner off a CJ Perez assist to give them the lead for good, eventually beating the Hotshots for the third time in the Finals since 2018.

#ReadMore  Mark Striegl suffers brutal KO loss in UFC debut

“I told Bennie… I think it was a timeout right before that. I said, ‘Me or you are gonna make a big shot.’ I told CJ, I said, ‘CJ, make the right play, if I’m open, give me the ball, I’m gonna make the shot.’ He did,” he said of that play.

The nine points Ross made was the most he had in the series. He went 3-of-6 from deep — that, after going just 1-for-19 in the Finals’ first five games.

But the 15-year veteran knows, and has proven many times in the past, what he’s capable of, most especially in moments as crucial as Game 6.

“I have the utmost faith in myself. I know when times are crucial, I know I’m gonna make those shots,” said the two-time Finals MVP.

“I think I told some of you guys that I was gonna make some shots in this game. I knew it was coming. I told my coaches that. I told my coaches, my players, I said I’m gonna have a game where I’ll make some big shots,” furthered Ross.

“Every Finals that I’ve been in, it’s happened. I knew my time was coming, so I just shoot it with confidence.”

Written By

Oftentimes on the sidelines. Forever a student of the game. Morayta-bred.


You May Also Like

Basketball

Troy Rosario turned in his best performance in a Ginebra jersey to power his side to a 93-81 victory over San Miguel in another...

Basketball

Hong Kong Eastern asserted its mastery of San Miguel following a hard-fought 99-91 overtime win in their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup duel at...

Basketball

San Miguel has brought in another import for its PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup campaign. Already on reinforcement no. 3 entering their sixth game...

Basketball

PBA squads Meralco and San Miguel suffered tough defeats in the continuation of the 2024-25 East Asia Super League (EASL) season on Wednesday night....

Basketball

ANTIPOLO — San Miguel has gotten on a winning run since Leo Austria came back following a 115-102 victory over the hard-luck Blackwater in...

Basketball

Expectations have been high for San Miguel ever since the top brass no longer issues any marching orders as to what it wants to...

Basketball

San Miguel gave Leo Austria the welcome he so deserves following a 106-88 rout of a luckless Terrafirma to snap a two-game losing skid...

Basketball

Rain or Shine roared in the fourth quarter and ran down a struggling San Miguel, 107-93, to list its second win in a row...

Advertisement