LOSING the PBA Philippine Cup finals certainly left a bad taste in the mouth of San Miguel veteran Chris Ross.
But nonetheless, he said Meralco certainly deserved winning a first ever league championship in franchise history.
"The better team won. They were a well-oiled machine. Each game went down the wire, there were no blowouts, so lets give credit to them," said Ross looking back at Meralco's title-clinching win in Game 6 of the title series, 80-78, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
"Even in games where they felt they should have won, they came back like nothing happened, and that takes mental toughness."
None among the Bolts displayed that kind of mindset than main man Chris Newsome.
Sponsored content: The Fil-Am guard struggled from the field behind a 4-of-17 shooting, but delivered when it mattered most, draining a tough fall away jumper with 1.3 seconds left that clinched for the Bolts their first title 14 years since entering the league.
Newsome was named PBA Press Corps-Honda Finals MVP.
For Ross, Newsome's heroics didn't come as a surprise.
"New played amazing. He did everything for that team, he had a 41 point game. He was doing everything, whether defending, making big shots, making right plays," said the San Miguel playing-assistant coach.
"He didn't shoot the ball particularly well, but that didn't change his mindset going for that last shot," added Ross. "I feel like he wanted that. 'Make it or miss it, just come to me,' and that's the confidence you need when you're the leader of the team." (RG)
