Ross defends himself from Lastimosa's accusations

Chris Ross of San Miguel Beer responded to comments made by TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa after a heated exchange following Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

Lastimosa had accused Ross of being 'not a nice guy' and a complainer, while Ross defended himself on X, stating he was respectful and did not engage in disrespectful behavior.

During Game 5 at Smart Araneta Coliseum, Lastimosa laughed off jeers from San Miguel fans during halftime but remained undeterred.

Ross clarified that his interaction with teammate Poy Erram was to show appreciation for the player's courage despite injuries, while denying any taunting or disrespectful actions towards the TNT bench.

Both parties expressed their frustrations through social media, highlighting the tension between teams during a crucial playoff series, which intensified after a photo of Lastimosa sticking his tongue out at Vergel Meneses in a 1995 Finals game circulated but was later discovered to be photoshopped.