CHRIS Ross had to endure an assortment of injuries just to be able to win a PBA championship after three years.
Apart from a hurting knee that kept him out of the Philippine Cup eliminations, the 37-year-old San Miguel guard also played through a hand injury during the finals against TNT.
Yet, that doesn't deter him from coming through for the Beermen in the decisive Game 7 of the title series as he drained nine fourth quarter points from three-point range to secure the 119-97 win and regained for the franchise the all-Filipino crown.
He finished with 12 points, five rebounds, and four assists, while shooting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc as he teamed up with CJ Perez and veteran teammates June Mar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter in the Beermen's strong windup that took the fight out of the Tropang Giga.
"My knee feels awful right now, my hand feels awful right now, but I know my team needs me," Ross said. "I knew my team needs me to try and win a championship."
Sponsored content: Ross won his 10th career title as a pro in San Miguel's first championship in the last three years.
So many things had happened since the Beermen last celebrated on top of the podium, according to the Fil-Am guard.
"It feels like it's so long ago when we won our last. So much in the world has happened since then," he said.
"We're all stuck in our houses (during the pandemic), June Mar broke his leg, me and June Mar both lost our parent, so much has gone on since we've been champions. This makes it so much sweeter. We lost two teammates (Arwind Santos and Alex Cabagnot). So much has changed and it feels so good."
Ross will now try to make his physical well-being feel good by having both his knee and hand check up while San Miguel is on a three-week off before the start of the Commissioner's Cup where it is the defending champion.
Sponsored content: "I'm still injured. I'll probably have a check up to see what's going on," he said.(RG)
