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.
Still, 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.
“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.”
