Ginebra rips Star

Ginebra coach Tim Cone knows he raised more than a few eyebrows by insisting on fielding an undersized yet familiar reinforcement in Justin Brownlee for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

The 6-foot-5 Brownlee did help the Gin Kings end an eight-year title drought last season, but it came in the Governors’ Cup featuring smaller imports.

But three games into their campaign in the midseason tournament, the gamble is paying off dividends as Brownlee exploded for 21 of his 30 points in the second half to power Ginebra past the Star Hotshots, 113-98, on Sunday night at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

“Justin is playing the way we envisioned him to be when we got him,” said Cone of Brownlee, who outplayed his bigger Star counterpart Tony Mitchell. “He can play inside and outside and he can make great passes.”

Mitchell, the 6-foot-8 Star import, had 21 points and nine boards in the featured game of the league’s 42nd anniversary.

Brownlee, who also grabbed 14 rebounds, joined forces with Scottie Thompson in turning a 12-point deficit in the third period into a seven-point cushion heading into the final quarter, before Sol Mercado and LA Tenorio put the finishing touches with eight points apiece in the fourth.

Ginebra improved to 2-1 and pinned a first loss in five starts on Star.

Earlier, TNT KaTropa slipped past Mahindra, 86-84, for their fourth straight win.