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SEA Games: How Chris Ross' locker room talk inspired Gilas before gold medal match

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Levi Joshua Verora Jr.

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Chris Ross during their Inspire Calamba training. Photo by RM Chua" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/05/18/05182023-chris-ross.jpg"/><figcaption>Chris Ross during their Inspire Calamba training. Photo by RM Chua</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA – Ahead of its men’s 5-on-5 basketball gold medal match, Gilas Pilipinas’s 32nd Southeast Asian Games campaign faced massive scrutiny.Even after the national squad ousted Indonesia in a gut-wrenching semifinal affair, 84-76, there were still doubts as to whether Gilas could surpass Cambodia, which had beaten them by double figures in the group stage, 79-68.That was when team veteran Chris Ross took over and challenged his teammates to play like real Filipinos before their gold medal match against the host country.“That’s one thing I told the guys before the game. We need to play with pride. We’re all Filipinos, Justin (Brownlee) included. Those guys, they had no ties to the country and we, we bleed this,” Ross emphatically said on Tuesday night.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/16/23/gilas-pilipinas-gets-back-at-cambodia-regains-seag-gold">Gilas Pilipinas gets back at Cambodia, regains SEA Games gold</a></li></ul>“I told the guys that and it worked. We put it all out there. Coach Chot (Reyes) asked us all what puso meant, and everybody gave detailed answers. I told the guys to put that in the game for 40 minutes, and I’ll live with the outcome,” Ross added, referring to Reyes’s unique way of motivating his troops throughout the tournament.“Before each game, Coach Chot would go around the room and ask each one of them what puso meant to them. That kind of motivates the players,” assistant coach Tim Cone shared, attesting to Ross&#x27;s sentiments.“Each of them had a different answer, they were all unique, and they were all heartfelt, coming from the heart, and it was just a nice tool Chot would use, to go and do that. It was very moving at times.”<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/17/23/brownlee-says-gilas-sea-games-gold-the-highlight-of-his-career">Brownlee says Gilas&#x27; SEA Games gold the highlight of his career</a></li></ul>Gilas would emerge jubilant in the end, using a decisive 80-69 victory to cop the SEA Games title.For Ross, the deep connection of everyone to the country spelled the difference between the national team and their competitors.“When we lost that game against Cambodia, it brought us a different edge. We had a lot of bashers and haters from all around. I guess it was warranted, but it gave us an edge,” Ross said.“And we were hoping and praying that we got to play them again in the championship round, and the semifinals was against the gold medal team from last year, then we played Cambodia again, it just made everything so much more special.”Now a two-time SEA Games gold medalist, Ross understands his days as a member of the national squad as a player may be limited, considering his FIBA eligibility status.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/17/23/reyes-grateful-for-chuas-support-during-sea-games">Reyes grateful for Chua&#x27;s support during SEA Games</a></li></ul>But the San Miguel Beermen’s elder statesman said he is only one call away from serving the country through hoops, no matter what role it may be, as he has exemplified over the last few weeks.“I told Coach Chot, whenever they need me, whether it’s playing, whether it’s coaching, whether it’s a practice player, whatever they need from me, I’m always willing to suit up for the country and put up this jersey,” he said.“It’s an honor for me that I don’t take for granted, I do it as many times as they ask me.”RELATED VIDEO<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YhThfInlaO4?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Ahead of its men’s 5-on-5 basketball gold medal match, Gilas Pilipinas’s 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games campaign faced massive scrutiny.