Justin Brownlee and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in Game 4 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals against TNT Tropang Giga. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
ANTIPOLO — Doubts hovered over the status of Barangay Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee, while TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson stood in the spotlight to take yet another Best Import Award.
But when the game demanded grit and excellence, it was the Gin Kings who stepped into the moment, hacking out a 95-78 Game 4 triumph over the Tropang Giga at Ynares Center here.
HIGHLIGHTS: PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals – Ginebra vs TNT Game 4
Justin Brownlee played through a janky right thumb and finished with 23 points and 12 rebounds his gutsy play rubbing off of the rest of the crowd darlings leveling the PBA Commissioner’s Cup championship series to two games apiece.
Jamie Malonzo topscored with 24 points, Japeth Aguilar chipped in 18 and Stephen Holt 12 to backstop their indefatigable resident import, who was a game-time decision.
Jamie Malonzo and Justin Brownlee leads Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Game 4 against TNT Tropang Giga. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
TNT kept things interesting for most of the night at the hilltop arena behind the strong outings of Calvin Oftana, Roger Pogoy and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, but faded against a resolute enemy who were not letting their best player down.
Oftana had 17, Pogoy 16, while Hollis-Jefferson, who won his third Best Import trophy, finished with just 14 points and 12 rebounds. Rey Nambatac added 13 points as the telco club, gunning for a second-straight crown, missed out on what could’ve been a commanding lead in the title showdown.
READ: PBA Finals: TNT makes most out of Justin Brownlee exit to survive Ginebra
Ginebra coach Tim Cone revealed that Ange Kouame, another Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player, was being considered to fill in for Brownlee. Also on the table as a contingency was Hollis-Jefferson’s brother Rahlir, who also served the Tropang Giga as an import in the previous season.
“Justin’s Justin, man,” the multitiled coach said.
The two clubs break the tie on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.