Justin Brownlee concluded an outstanding display with a thumbs-up signal from the very finger that had been dislocated just two nights earlier, raising questions about whether he would be able to continue playing in the remainder of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
It was a decisive moment that represented new optimism for Barangay Ginebra, following their victory of 95-78 against TNT at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City last Friday evening. This win suggests they might finally triumph over TNT after coming up short in earlier championship battles.
The moment they secured my thumb, I felt confident about playing," Brownlee stated following his performance of scoring 23 points, which helped the popular team tie the series at 2-2 and transform the championship match into a best-of-three contest.
Brownlee was considered questionable for the game after sustaining an injury during Ginebra’s Game 3 loss.Coach Tim Cone mentioned that several alternatives were pondered, one of which involved replacing Brownlee with Ange Kouame, the naturalized player from Gilas Pilipinas.
But then Justin mentioned, 'I believe I am able to play,'" stated Cone, showering accolades on the Ginebra medical team headed by their physiotherapist RC Cua.
Make-or-break
The early risers in this city were thrilled as Brownlee emerged onto the court around 90 minutes prior to the start of the game for some practice shots. To ensure stability, his right thumb was securely taped up so the support wouldn’t slip off during play.
His presence alone energized both Ginebra and their loyal fans. In the crucial match, he went above and beyond what was expected.
In the opening half, he managed to score 15 points, hitting 6 out of 7 attempts, helping Ginebra take a narrow lead at 53-49. However, TNT displayed remarkable resilience throughout the game, staying within striking distance during both the third quarter and initial minutes of the final period. It wasn’t until Jamie Malonzo made two key baskets late in play that things began tilting firmly towards one side again; this time bolstered further by contributions from Japeth Aguilar which helped extend their advantage.
The outcome ruined TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson's evening as he was limited to just 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting following his pre-game recognition as the best import. Meanwhile, NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino claimed the Best Player of the Conference honor.
Hollis-Jefferson secured the prize for the top overseas player for the third consecutive time following his tally of 1,280 points, surpassing NorthPort’s Kadeem Jack who had 825 points, as well as Brownlee with 670 points and Rain or Shine’s Deon Thompson with 633 points.
His victory placed the previous NBA player from the Brooklyn Nets in a tie with Brownlee and former Meralco import Allen Durham at second place on the all-time list, just behind the legendary Bobby Parks, who claimed the title seven times. This prestigious trophy was subsequently renamed after him as a tribute.
On the evening when his mother, Rylana Hollis, came to see him play for the first time across the Pacific, the TNT Import emerged victorious.