New Zealand (NZ) coach Judd Flavell felt pride in the way his team’s defense neutralized Gilas Pilipinas’ Justin Brownlee in a narrow escape in the third window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifier on Friday.

Just like five months ago in the second window, the Tall Blacks shackled the usually high-scoring Brownlee and pulled off a thrilling 106-102 double overtime escape inside their homecourt at the Spark Arena in Auckland.

Brownlee went scoreless in regulation and finished with five points on a 2-of-3 field goal shooting, proof of how the Kiwis tightened their defensive screw on the 38-year-old Gilas star.

“Obviously, Brownlee, who’s a big part of their focal point offensively, we did a great job with him,” Flavell said after New Zealand strung three straight wins for a 3-2 slate in second spot in Group A and secured a seat to the second round.

The Tall Blacks wore down Brownlee by putting pressure on him one-on-one off the ball or double-teaming him whenever he touched the ball.

In fact, New Zealand’s key defensive stop in the closing stretch of the second overtime was an inbound interception intended for Brownlee.

Juan Gomez de Liaño’s pass for Brownlee was tapped by Carlin Davison. Brownlee was forced to give up a costly unsportsmanlike foul in the last 10.6 seconds, giving the Kiwis the opening to put away the win that lasted nearly three hours.

“The game could have gone either way. I think that’s a true test of international basketball,” Flavell said after beating Gilas for the fifth straight meeting.

Brownlee only attempted a shot once in regulation and even got what could’ve been his first basket nullified due to a shot clock violation.

His first made field goal came at the 2:35 mark of the first overtime — a looping bank shot jumper. Brownlee, who was averaging 16.5 points per game coming into the match, would then make a three in the second extension.

Brownlee, the Gilas superman who saved the team a lot of times in the past, seemed to have New Zealand as his kryptonite.

He was held down to just four points in Gilas’ close-shaved 66-69 loss in the second window last February at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Aside from silencing Brownlee, Flavell also liked how his team kept its composure inside the arena that didn’t feel and sound like its home turf.

Filipino fans dwarfed the home crowd as New Zealand felt like playing an away game.

“When you’ve got a crowd like the Philippines that turn up every game, it feels like an away game. You know, that crowd, they might have been louder than what they were in Manila,” Flavell said.