Justin Brownlee almost went from hero to zero in the Barangay Ginebra’s match with the Meralco Bolts on Sunday night, as his potentially game-sealing free throws in the game’s waning seconds met the rim’s back iron.
“Sometimes it happens. Of course I tried to make them, but I’m not perfect,” rued the 6-foot-7 forward regarding his botched freebies.
But luckily for him and the whole Barangay, the Bolts’ last play — a fastbreak opportunity that showed Chris Newsome dishing the rock to a running Cliff Hodge — also went to waste, clinching the 90-89 win for Ginebra.
And at that moment, Brownlee heaved a big sigh of relief.
“We were just fortunate on that play, because if they connected on that play, that [will] put them in a great position to win the game,” recalled Brownlee.
“I’m just happy he turned the ball over that time.
“I’m just glad we pulled a win tonight,” added Brownlee, who finished with 22 points on 50 percent shooting, alongside nine rebounds and three assists, to help his team earn their third win in a row and improve to an 8-2 card.
Still, the ever-humble 29-year-old gave plenty of credit to their opponents, who gave them a hard time all through out the game, hence the narrow result.
“They did and it felt like it because they came out and played very tough defense especially me individually, but just their whole team, they played great individual and team defense.
“We knew we were going to have our hands full, but I was ready to play them tonight,” said Brownlee, who is now posting norms of 28.9 markers.
And after Sunday night’s tight affair, Brownlee agrees that a rivalry between the crowd darlings and the competitive Bolts — who had last faced each other in the 2016 Governor’s Cup, where the Gin Kings won in six games — is budding.
“It’s a rivalry for sure. Two incredible coaches — they’re two great coaches and you can see it with the way their teams play,” he admitted.
“Anytime they go against each other, I think it’s going to be a great game.”
