MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Beer expects to have a full complement soon with veteran playmaker Chris Ross returning after missing the early skirmishes in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
“He’s here already, just in quarantine,” SMB team manager Gee Abanilla said of Ross, who left for the US in November following the death of his father.
Defensive whiz Ross, one of the three remaining members of San Miguel Beer’s “Death Five” in the wake of the team’s roster shakeup after the Philippine Cup, arrived Monday from Texas.
Once he completes quarantine and gets a negative result from the RT- PCR test, Ross is expected to rejoin his peers for training.
While Ross was away, the Beermen logged a 3-2 win-loss record in the import-spiced tournament, winning their last three assignments before the league went on its New Year’s break.
The PBA is on an extended lull with its supposed resumption of the games for this week, including SMB versus Phoenix on Saturday, postponed due to the return to Alert Level 3 in Metro Manila.
Ross said he took a breather from basketball “to be around with family” and “pull myself out of that dark hole.”
“My pops would want nothing less, “ he wrote on Instagram. “So here’s to 2022. I’m ready; what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Another early absentee in the Governors’ Cup – Rafi Reavis – is expected to be back over in the Magnolia camp.