For Chris Ross, he doesn’t know when might get another chance to suit up for Gilas Pilipinas after the 30th Southeast Asian Games, so he wanted to make the most out of this experience.
The 34-year-old guard did just that, capping off the ride with a reward so sweet on Tuesday evening.
Ross and the all-PBA squad dominated Thailand 115-81, to capture the gold medal in men’s basketball. They also extended the Philippines’ dominance in men’s basketball in the region for the 13th straight time.
For the do-it-all guard — who played for the national team for the very first time — the feeling was ‘unexplainable’.
“Winning the gold, it’s my first gold medal, my first time playing for the flag and country — it’s really unexplainable,” said Ross, who orchestrated Gilas’ attack in the final with eight assists.
Some say that Gilas winning the gold in the regional meet yet again — especially with a squad made up of some of the PBA’s finest — is a foregone conclusion, but Ross begs to differ.
“It’s never what you expect. You can’t really put anything into words,” said the San Miguel Beermen floor general, who has won eight championships.
“Like, winning a championship, even after I’ve won whatever amount, it’s always a different feeling. It always gives me butterflies.”
All in all, the whole experience was amazing for Ross, who finally realized his dream of playing for motherland.
“It’s amazing. We spent I think a month together, a month and a half. And the camaraderie we built in that short amount of time with these guys, we really built something special.
“And to win it here at home in front of the amazing fans and family, it’s really special,” he closed.
