Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Chris Ross couldn’t be more thankful for his teammates in San Miguel’s close out game against Ginebra in Game 5 of the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals.
With the pesky defender under strict minutes restriction since Game 4 due to a strained right thigh, Marcio Lassiter, Alex Cabagnot, and Matt Ganuelas-Rosser picked up the slack for the Beermen and did a tremendous job defending the Gin Kings.
READ: San Miguel back in PH Cup Finals, closes out Ginebra
“It’s kind of frustrating because I can’t do what I usually do out there, but the good thing is that Matt is getting a lot of reps and he’s getting more comfortable, and Alex is getting a lot more comfortable, and so is Marcio,” he said. “It’s kind of a blessing in disguise that I’m not out there and a lot more people are stepping up.”
.@cmross6 was all smiles after @TheSMBeermen earned a return trip to the Finals and assures the fans that he’ll be at full strength for the championship series. #PBA2018 pic.twitter.com/ll4lHSKIbr
— Randolph B. Leongson (@RLeongsonINQ) March 17, 2018
But Ross couldn’t let the others have all the fun.
Playing only eight minutes last game, the Fil-Am guard was effective anew with five points, three rebounds, and an assist in 16 minutes of action in Game 5.
READ: Against coaches’ will, Ross plays through injury
Though, Ross shared that he’s still hurting but with San Miguel needing only five games to return to the finals, he will have time to recover from his injury.
The other semifinals series between No. 2 Magnolia and No. 6 NLEX is currently tied at 2-2 and San Miguel won’t be back on the court until next Friday for Game 1 of the finals.
READ: NLEX crushes Magnolia, evens series at 2-2
“It’s huge for me because I get a week to get treatment everyday and be ready for Game 1,” he said. “But if you look at it on the other side, we’ll be sitting out a week while the other team is in a groove. Obviously, you don’t want to go to practice and do a lot of five-on-five and risk injuries, so we got to find a way to stay sharp and get ready for Game 1 of the Finals.”
Looking forward, Ross guaranteed that he will be back to his old self when the championship series begins.
“That’s the plan. I’ll be getting treatment everyday and I’ll go from here. Game 1 of the Finals, I’ll be ready,” he said.