THIS is the time of the PBA season when friendship takes the backseat for Chris Ross.
The veteran guard was honest enough to say he' setting aside his closeness with fellow Fil-Am Simon Enciso when San Miguel and TNT begin their Philippine Cup finals series on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ross is an acknowledged competitor, and so is Enciso, with whom the 40-year-old Beerman forged a close bond during their time together tending the backcourt for San Miguel.
But now that Enciso is on the other side of the fence, Ross said the two of them have to go the separate ways at the moment.
"For me, whenever I play someone on the court, it's all business. I put friendship or whatever on the side," said Ross, a two-time Finals MVP and 10-time champion.
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Two of those championship of course, was won with Enciso around.
Unfortunately, after San Miguel failed to make the playoffs of the mid-season Commissioner's Cup, the team let go of the 34-year-old Enciso as a free agent.
But he ended up returning to his old team in TNT as injuries beset the Tropang 5G backcourt that was already without long-time team captain Jayson Castro.
And by fate, Enciso hit the game-clinching three for the Tropang 5G in an 89-84 win during his first meeting with the Beermen in the eliminations.
Ross refused to dwell on the past, but obviously the line has been drawn between him and Enciso dating back to that May 4 game at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
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"We just go out there and compete, guard and play whoever's in front of us. I don't really see it as I'm playing a friend," said the hero of San Miguel's series clinching win (100-93) against Barangay Ginebra in Game 7 of the semis.
"I see it as I'm playing an opponent. We're both gunning for the same thing. I'm sure they'll put their (TNT) best foot forward and we'll do the same to try and win the championship," Ross added. "Especially now when they're gunning for a championship. There's no time to be friendly with anyone." (RG)