Just over four months ago, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and the TNT Katropa figured in the semifinals of the Commissioner’s Cup — a conference that imposes no limit to the reinforcements being tapped. In that series, Justin Brownlee, who is the smallest import tapped at 6-foot-7, had to guard 6-foot-10, 290-pound behemoth Joshua Smith four times in a span of a week.
In the rematch between the two squads in the Governors’ Cup semifinals, Brownlee now has the advantage over TNT’s import Glen Rice Jr., being an inch taller while outweighing him by at least 11 pounds.
And the 29-year-old is relishing this advantage.
“What goes around comes around,” quipped Brownlee after Ginebra 121-94 Game One win.
With the game already out of reach by the end of the third frame, Brownlee was already subbed out early in the final frame, finishing with 21 points on 10-for-15 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, three steals, and five assists. And the team’s third-stringers continued to pound the Katropa, avenging their 99-121 loss to TNT in the elimination round.
“They did us pretty bad [last time] but it’s just good to start off, get the first game,” recalled the native of Tifton, Georgia, who is trying to give Ginebra back-to-back Governors’ Cup crowns. “We were just looking in and try to put a lot of effort, be aggressive and try to get this. We just did a good job, everybody from guys coming off the bench like Jervy [Cruz], he hit some big shots. Joe Devance, he was just incredible, he’s been incredible these last two games.
“They’re the big reason why we’re getting off to a good start.”
Come Game Two, Brownlee affirmed that they will continue to pound the paint against the much smaller TNT squad. In addition, he hopes that they won’t fall into the trap of playing at the Katropa’s uptempo style of play.
“Hopefully we just continue to take advantage of it. We got Greg and Japeth down there, every chance we get we want to take advantage of that for sure,” Brownlee stressed. “But we know TNT is a tough team, they will come out and make adjustments and we just gotta be prepared.
“Whatever we’re running, we just gotta run it with great purpose and do what we want to do.”
