Brownlee delivers as Ginebra ties series at 2-2

Justin Brownlee brushed off an injured finger and an airtight TNT Tropang Giga defense to lead Barangay Ginebra to a 95-78 victory in Game 4 of their Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven finals series late Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Brownlee, who suffered a dislocated finger that required immediate medical attention in the third quarter of Game 3, made a miraculous return to rally the Kings to the crucial win that allowed them to tie the series at 2-2. Game 5 is set on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The naturalized Filipino dropped a monster double-double performance of 23 points and 12 rebounds while Jamie Malonzo, Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson chipped in significant numbers for the Kings, who reduced the series into a race-to-three encounter.

“I thought he was out for the series,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone, admitting that they were already plotting their Plan B, including the deployment of another Filipino-Ivorian Ange Kouame as Brownlee’s replacement.

“We even thought of Ange Kouame if he could replace Justin, but Justin said, ‘I think I can play.’”

Cone lauded his import not just for playing through pain but for his sacrifices and determination not to let his team down.

“I’ll be absolutely honest. I thought there was no way Justin was going to play today,” Cone added.

“But then Justin said: I can play. He’s such a warrior.”

Brownlee said their medical team did a great job stabilizing his finger that paved the way for his heroic return, much to the delight of the Ginebra fans who have been praying and hoping for his availability in the very crucial encounter.

“As soon as they got the thumb stable, I knew I could play,” Brownlee said.

“I wanted to continue playing like before. Yesterday and before the game, I got a good feel for it.”

After a nip-and-tuck first three quarters, Ginebra came alive in the fourth with Maverick Ahanmisi knocking down a jumper in the final 2:29 to cap their sizzling 11-0 rally that gave them an 89-76 lead.

Rey Nambatac, who scored the dagger trey that saved TNT in Game 3, tried to pump life into the Tropang Giga after a midrange jumper, 78-89, with 2:10 left in the game but Ahanmisi and Jamie Malonzo made two more three-pointers in the final minute to seal the victory.

Malonzo waxed hot as he led Ginebra with 24 points behind an 8-of-11 shooting clip while Japeth Aguilar had 18 points and eight rebounds for the Kings.

Calvin Oftana led the Tropang Giga with 17 points and five rebounds while Roger Pogoy had 16 points in a losing effort.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who collected his third Best Import plum minutes before tipoff, had a double-double game of 14 points and 12 rebounds suffered a miserable shooting night after going 5-of-18 from the field.

The Scores:

GINEBRA (95) — Malonzo 24, Brownlee 23, J. Aguilar 18, Holt 12, Thompson 9, Ahanmisi 7, Abarrientos 2, Cu 0, Mariano 0, Pinto 0, Rosario 0.

TNT (78) — Oftana 17, Pogoy 16, Hollis-Jefferson 14, Nambatac 13, Williams 9, Erram 9, Aurin 0, Khobuntin 0, Razon 0, Heruela 0, Ebona 0.

QUARTERS: 31-21, 53-49, 72-66, 95-78.