Hindi naging consistent ang performance ni rookie Fil-Am Chris Ross ngunit sa isang game, lumaro itong parang isang beterano upang ihatid ang Pharex sa quarterfinals ng 2009 PBL PG Flex Linoleum Cup.
Pinasan ni Ross, top pick sa draft noong September, ang Generix nang maglista ito ng 23 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists at two steals sa 37 minutong paglalaro upang igupo ang Toyota Otis, 71-69, at makopo ang huling slot sa quarters.
Sa naturang laban, ang former Marshall University Thundering Herd, kumana ito ng 14 points sa second half, kabilang ang game-winning jumper laban kay Bryan Faundo at Chris Timberlake sa huling 4.1 segundo ng labanan. Pinuwersa din ni Ross si Timberlake na magmintis sa kanyang running shot upang mapreserba ang tagumpay.
“Our team just came together and we were fighting every game and I just don’t want my team to go home early,” ani Ross na susi sa apat na panalo ng Pharex matapos ang 0-6 simula.
“Tough games bring out the best players and Chris stood out the best for us,” sabi naman ni Carlo Tan. “The guy’s a fighter, he’s a competitor and he was inspiring.”