Justin Brownlee basks in first Christmas win

Justin Brownlee seemed to have personified the character that inspired the iconic Nike Kobe 6 he wore when Ginebra faced Magnolia in a Clasico duel.

The 35-year-old turned into the Grinch in helping the Kings steal Christmas from their long-time rivals, clawing back from a 22-point deficit toward the eventual 95-92 victory in a PBA Commissioner’s Cup thriller on Wednesday night.

“It feels good, just of course extra special because it’s Christmas. The fans came out and showed a lot of support for us, spending their hard-earned money,” he said moments after the bout at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

“We’re just happy we can give the Ginebra fans a gift for Christmas with a win, and especially the way we did it,” he added as 12,198 fans watched live.

JB top-scored for Ginebra with 28 points, and laced it with seven rebounds and five assists as he was crucial in the Kings’ fourth-quarter rally.

Like what he’s done countless times in the past, the three-time Best Import nailed big three-pointers down the stretch that gave them the momentum to outlast their counterparts after trailing for most of the night.

He was involved in the final play as well, teaming up with RJ Abarrientos in creating gaps to the opposing defense that ultimately led to the rookie kicking it out to Scottie Thompson for the game-winning trifecta before time expired.

“Scottie hit a huge, incredible shot … and also RJ. He stepped up big for us, knocking down some big shots in the second half. really got us going,” said Brownlee. “Overall a good team win and a good Christmas Day for Ginebra.”

Making it all the more special was the fact that it was the naturalized Filipino’s first PBA Christmas Day victory after losing in 2021.

That was his first taste of the league’s December 25 games and it became a harrowing experience for him as the Kings absorbed a harsh 117-94 beatdown at the hands of a Hotshots side that was then bannered by Mike Harris.

The loss was so tough that Brownlee still remembers it all too well to this day, thus his satisfaction at having flipped the script this time.

“I’m just really happy for our guys ’cause I remember a couple of Christmases [ago], maybe two or three Christmases ago, we got beat by [20] points by the same team,” recalled the six-time PBa champion, who had 21 and 12 then.

But more than getting back on Magnolia, giving the fans a reason to be merrier on Christmas Day makes Brownlee beam with much pride.

“I was happy we can get the fans a great game, especially on a day like this like I was saying, that’s what it’s all about,” said the native of Tifton, Georgia.

“I’m glad we could give a gift to the fans,” he added.

“And if we didn’t win, I’m just glad that we had at least a great game for the fans to enjoy.”

Now, all of the Barangay can take some much-needed breathers and enjoy the rest of the holiday break before buckling down to work once again.

“We played some really good teams and it felt like we played every other day or something like that, or every two days sometimes. We definitely, I think, need to rest overall as a team, get guys back healthy,” Brownlee said.

“Really excited how this team is moving forward and hopefully, we can gain some momentum from this win.”