Chris Ross could not help but get emotional after San Miguel bagged the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup title with a 119-97 against TNT Sunday night, Sept. 4, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ross, who was hailed Best Player of the Game after chalking up 12 points built on four three-pointers, five rebounds, four assists, dedicated his ninth PBA title to his late father William, who passed away last November 2021.
The two-time PBA Finals Most Valuable Player admitted that year 2021 was a rough patch for him to overcome following the death of his father.
Nevertheless, the younger Ross did not disappoint and gave it all out in the court, making timely treys in the payoff period alongside Marcio Lassiter, CJ Perez, and June Mar Fajardo, who was eventually named the Finals MVP.
"I've been through a lot this year, in this life year. Losing my father, like I just never thought that would happen to me and when it did, my world just -- my world crumbled," recalled the 37-year-old veteran guard. "My dad's my everything and losing him is like -- he taught me basketball, he thought me how to be a man.
"And just all the stuff I've been through and winning this for him, it's so fulfilling right now. I knew he was watching. I just hope I really made him proud."
It was a mission accomplished for Ross, who also suffered from a knee injury just before the playoffs, and he also has his mother Virginia to thank for it.
Virginia served as Ross' rock when everything just went downward spiral for him, supporting and cheering the former Best Player of the Conference awardee all the way from Texas.
"When I went down, she was here. She really took care of me. She called me every game, she called right before this game (Game 7) saying she wasn't gonna sleep, she was gonna stay up and watch with her friends," said an emotional Ross.