DESPITE getting into a heated exchange with celebrated TNT import Bol Bol, in the end Chris Ross was appreciative of the excitement and the skills the 7-foot-3 South Sudanese have brought to the PBA.
The veteran San Miguel guard said the presence of Bol in the Commissioner’s Cup serve as a huge boost to the league.
“He’s good for our league, getting someone else of his stature and his profile, it’s really good for our league,” said the 41-year-old Ross of the former NBA player. “He’s tall, he could do everything on the court, and he seems like a good guy.”
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The 26-year-old import put on a big show against the Beermen, torching them for 34 points and 18 rebounds in a one-sided 118-92 win Saturday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
At one point in the contest, Ross and Bol had some choice words for each other that resulted in the 41-year-old Fil-Am getting a warning from game officials as he did the talking while over at the San Miguel bench in street clothes.
Ross said there was nothing really to his conversation with the TNT import, saying it was all part of the game.
Reason why he was actually surprised about being warned by the referees during that same moment.
“If you asked him (Bol, he'd say) we didn’t say anything bad. There was nothing that deserved a warning, it’s just talk. I didn’t cuss at him, he didn’t cuss at me. It was just two guys having a conversation. I definitely didn’t deserve it,” said the San Miguel playing assistant coach.
And what’s the conversation all about?
“I just said, 'Good defense,'” said Ross, who was seen clapping his hands from the San Miguel bench, while the import was standing just a few meters away from him.
Bol responded to Ross by pointing at the jumbotron, which showed the Tropang 5G leading the Beermen by a mile.
“He (Bol) told me were down 20. And I said ‘I don’t care.’ And that was it,” Ross said. “it’s just a little talk, there wasn’t much (anything). It’s all part of the game.”
When everything was said and done, Ross and Bol shook hands and did a shoulder bump.
“We shook hands after the game, he smiled. It is what it is. I don’t hate him, he doesn’t hate me. It’s all part of the game. It’s just playing basketball and plain conversation,” he added.
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