Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
San Miguel point guard Chris Ross knew he wasn’t at his best in their 102-97 Game 4 loss to TNT in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Wednesday, and he readily owned up for his shortcomings as the series got tied at 2-2.
Ross, fresh off winning the Best Player of the Conference Award, was subpar in the fourth game finishing with just eight points, his lowest of the series so far, five rebounds, four assists, and 33 percent shooting.
“We just have to play better as a whole, and it starts with me,” said a dejected Ross at Smart Araneta Coliseum. “I didn’t play well enough today for us to win. I feel like I let my team down. I’ll be better next game.”
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“As one of the leaders, it starts with me.”
Ross has been tearing it up for the Beermen against the KaTropa in the championship round, and prior to their Game 4 loss, the back-to-back Philippine Cup Finals MVP filled up the stat sheets easily for San Miguel.
From Games 1 to 3, Ross averaged 16 points, 18.5 points in the two wins, 8.67 assists, five rebounds, and 3.67 steals a game.
He also shot the ball at 43.75 percent from the floor before Game 4.
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Ross added they did not play with the same intensity as a team who wants to take a 3-1 series lead.
“We played decent enough, but that wasn’t out style of play,” said Ross. “We didn’t play with a sense of urgency of trying to put them down 3-1, that’s why they [the KaTropa] won. It started with me, I wasn’t good enough.”