Justin Brownlee gave the Filipino fans who trooped the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, UAE a performance to remember when he notched a triple-double against NLEX last October 5.
It wasn’t just a simple triple-double, though. The former Best Import produced 46 points, 20 rebounds, and 10 assists — a statline likely not achieved in the league before.
But unfortunately, those impressive numbers didn’t translate to a win. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel lost hold of an enormous 28-point lead and lost to the Road Warriors, 113-111.
Eight days after that, though, the Gin Kings had a shot at redemption against fellow powerhouse team San Miguel Beermen. And the 6-foot-5 guard was spectacular once again.
For the second straight game, Brownlee notched a triple-double. He produced 28 points on a 60-percent clip, along with 14 rebounds and the same number of assists in over 45 minutes.
But unlike against NLEX, his efforts did not go in vain. The crowd darlings warded off SMB, 129-124.
Coach Tim Cone is, of course, impressed anew with the way the three-time champion import delivered the goods, lauding how Brownlee gives it his all in every given opportunity.
“That’s becoming a norm for him, right? It’s surprising when he doesn’t get a triple-double,” Cone said. “I was just trying to keep him fresh, which is impossible to do because he plays with such heart all the time. He’s not one of those guys who coast for a little bit and then plays hard. He just goes at it. That’s why a lot of times when six to eight minutes a game, he’s battling cramps. He’s in tremendous shape and he just gives his all, all the time.
“So I’m the one who has to really hold him back and make sure he gets that rest because he can’t do it himself. It’s just not in his nature, [so] it’s on me to find time to pull him out of the game. It’s hard for me discipline-wise because I want him out there all the time, but I just have to stay disciplined and remind myself that we need him for the last six minutes,” he said.
“But I’m telling you, it’s really hard for me to do that because he’s such a wonderful player.”
Upon hearing those words, Brownlee felt honored, as he usually does whenever he receives praise from the decorated coach. But ever selfless, the American cager gave credit to his teammates for the win.
“We just gotta give a lot of credit to the team, they hit some shots. LA (Tenorio), man, he came up with some big shots. Stanley (Pringle) had a big game, [and] Japeth (Aguilar). And Greg (Slaughter), his presence is huge.”
