Justin Brownlee starred yet again as Barangay Ginebra got back at San Miguel, 99-94, to take a 2-1 lead in their PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup semifinal series, Sunday evening at the Dasmarinas City Arena in Cavite.
The three-time Best Import finished with 30 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and five blocks as he helped the Kings set the tone early before bringing in the needed stability in the second half amidst a fightback attempt by the Beermen.
He was key in restoring order when the crowd darlings coughed up a seven-point lead and trailed 60-67 during the third quarter.
Brownlee helped lead a retaliation to make sure that they would end the said period still in their favor, 76-72.
And when the opposition rallied once more by knocking within three behind EJ Anosike with less than two minutes left, Brownlee joined hands with Stephen Holt.
The duo scored six of Ginebra’s last eight points to seal the deal.
“We had some uncertain moments in the third quarter when we came out at halftime. But thanks to this guy, we recovered,” said head coach Tim Cone, referring to JB as they both sat on the podium of the postgame presser.
“And, thanks to this guy again, down the stretch we were able to win it,” he added with a smile as Brownlee earned Player of the Game honors.
The locals provided ample support to their resident reinforcement, with Japeth Aguilar coming through with 22 points and eight rebounds.
Maverick Ahanmisi finished with a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds. Holt, meanwhile, delivered all-around numbers of 11 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, and added two steals as well without a turnover.
The Kings shot 45-percent from the floor and won the rebounding battle also, 53-42, for a solid bounce-back from that 131-125 overtime loss in Game 2.
No doubt that the Barangay were swayed into the high-scoring game of SMB in that affair played two nights ago – thus the satisfaction on Cone’s part with how his wards defended this time, allowing them to regain control of the series.
Anosike still had 32 points and 10 rebounds to lead San Miguel.
However, last game’s hero Terrence Romeo was almost a non-factor in Game 3.
The former three-time scoring champion erupted for 26 points back in Game 2 – 22 of which he made in the fourth and in extra time.
But he saw himself limited to just eight points on 3-of-10 shooting from the field in the defeat.
None from the Beermen outside of Anosike scored at least 20 unlike in Game 3, where four players did. CJ Perez only had 13 points – 15 less than the previous match – while June Mar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter had 12 each.
“We defended so much better tonight,” lauded Cone. “We played playoff defense tonight and I thought that was really the key.”
Ginebra will look to erect a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 battle in Game 4 on Wednesday, 7:30 PM at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Scores:
Ginebra 99 – Brownlee 30, J.Aguilar 22, Ahanmisi 15, Holt 11, Abarrientos 8, Thompson 8, Cu 5, Adamos 0, Devance 0.
San Miguel 94 – Anosike 32, Perez 13, Fajardo 12, Lassiter 12, Cruz 9, Romeo 8, Trollano 3, Ross 3, Tautua’a 2, Rosales 0.
Quarterscores: 25-20, 54-45, 76-72, 99-94.
