PBA: Justin Brownlee says RHJ as Best Import ‘well-deserved’

Rondae Hollis Jefferson and Justin Brownlee go at it during the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals between Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings and TNT Tropang Giga. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee tipped his hat to TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson for winning the PBA Governors’ Cup’s Best Import of the Conference award.

Before Game 4 of the Finals where Gin Kings defeated the Tropang Giga, 106-92, Hollis-Jefferson defended his crown as the PBA Governors’ Cup’s best import, edging Brownlee for the plum.

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Although he didn’t win the individual accolade, Brownlee believed his counterpart was deserving of the award.

“That’s a talented dude, man,” said Brownlee at Araneta Coliseum on Sunday. “He’s been playing incredible in the whole conference so it’s well-deserved.”

Brownlee and Hollis-Jefferson immediately went on another gargantuan matchup following the awarding with the former coming out on top as Ginebra tied the series at 2-2.

The Gilas big finished with 34 points and six rebounds while RHJ, the Jordan naturalized swingman, registered 28 points and nine rebounds in the loss.

READ: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson embraces boos in PBA Finals: ‘I love it’

Brownlee also said he wasn’t surprised seeing Hollis-Jefferson take home the award for the second straight time, believing TNT is the Finals because of the prolific scoring import.

“TNT, in the elimination, only lost a game and in the playoffs, almost the same amount of losses? Not sure but they’ve just been playing well for the whole conference, from the eliminations to the playoffs,” Brownlee said.

“He’s the reason why they’re here in the Finals so congratulations to him, it’s well-deserved.”