Written by 
AFTER his disappointing outing in the PBA Governors’ Cup finals, Justin Brownlee (JB) sets out for a big bounce-back performance with Gilas Pilipinas in the coming FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers (ACQ).
Mr. Brownlee has stayed in Manila to rest and recover after Ginebra’s painful 2-4 defeat to back-to-back champ TNT in the finals, where he was held to a meager 19.67 points per game, including his career single-game low of eight, and 20% three-point shooting.
He has about a week to recharge both physically and mentally before reporting to the Gilas camp in Laguna on Friday ahead of the Nationals’ double home assignments against New Zealand (Nov. 21) and Hong Kong (Nov. 24).
“Definitely still got a responsibility to go out there (and) fight for the country. And we got two tough opponents — New Zealand and Hong Kong,” said Mr. Brownlee.
“We’ve got a few days before going to training camp, just get ready for that and prepare with the team and try to do our best,” he said.
Mr. Brownlee was in the same situation as last year, when the Gin Kings first lost the battle for the Governors’ Cup plum with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (RHJ) and the Tropang Giga.
Just a few weeks after that April 2023 defeat, Mr. Brownlee joined the Nationals in the mission to reclaim the lost gold in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia. That Gilas “redeem team” completed the job with an 80-69 rout of the import-laden hosts in the finals with Mr. Brownlee firing 23 in the clincher.
Mr. Brownlee, who later went on to power Gilas to the Asian Games gold at the expense of RHJ-led Jordan in October 2023, will have to be at his best against 22nd-ranked NZ. The Tall Blacks have beaten the Filipinos in their last four duels since 2016.
“New Zealand is one of the top teams in the world, so it’s going to be a good matchup and a good test for us,” said Mr. Brownlee.
JB leads Gilas in points (21) and efficiency (32.5) in the opening window of ACQ while emerging as the team’s second-best rebounder with 10 behind Kai Sotto (12.5) and No. 2 in assists with 6 behind Scottie Thompson (9). — Olmin Leyba