HE’S ALIVE! — Brownlee recovering from injury

Game today

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

7:30 p.m.—Ginebra vs TNT

After almost being given up for dead, import Justin Brownlee appears fine enough to lead Barangay Ginebra all the way in its best-of-seven series against TNT in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup finals.

Brownlee leads the Gin Kings against the Tropang Giga in Game 5 at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum as they attempt to take a crucial 3-2 series lead and head into Wednesday’s Game Six at the Big Dome with a huge psychological advantage.

Head coach Tim Cone, meanwhile, could not help but rave about the 36-year-old Brownlee, a product of the US National Collegiate Athletic Association Division 1 top school St. John’s.

Just when it seemed Ginebra was going to hand Game Four to TNT on a silver platter, Brownlee delivered big time, firing 23 points and hauling 12 rebounds to level the series at two games apiece with a 95-78 win despite sustaining a painful right thumb injury in Game Three.

“I didn’t think he’s going to play and then what does he do? He gets Player of the Game (honors). Amazing, he’s not only a great player but he’s such a warrior,” Cone said.

“It’s going to be all about how he feels. He knows his body better than anybody,” Cone, the league’s most successful mentor, added.

But while the squad is overjoyed by his return, he won’t allow Brownlee to strain himself down the stretch.

Brownlee himself admitted that he simply wanted to get back into the game and help the Kings win their 16th PBA title.

“You know, I just tried to go through the game, and luckily had the support from the team, the whole coaching staff and everybody,” Brownlee said.

“I just wanted to go out there and just be there for the team and try to get a win.”

Knowing that Brownlee was not playing full blast, the local cast stepped up its game and Jamie Malonzo rose to the occasion and shot 24 points off the bench behind a scorching 8-of-11 shooting clip and Japeth Aguilar drilled in 18 points and collared eight boards.

Meanwhile, TNT will be relying on locals Calvin Oftana and Roger Pogoy, who scored 17 and 16 points, respectively while both shooting 50 percent from the field as chief support to the Tropang Giga’s perennial source of offense.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, picked as the conference’s best import, is also expected to bounce back after a woeful 5-of-18 shooting clip despite a double-double game of 14 points and 12 rebounds in Game 4.