Justin Brownlee delivered a spectacular performance, scoring a career-high 34 points to lead Barangay Ginebra to a commanding 106-92 victory over TNT, leveling the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup Finals at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.
Brownlee’s offensive brilliance powered Ginebra to a crucial win in the best-of-seven series, which now stands tied at 2-2. The performance thrilled a crowd of 16,783, though it came just a day after he narrowly missed out on the Best Import award, which was claimed by TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
This victory gave the Gin Kings a much-needed boost, reigniting their championship hopes after they had fallen into a 0-2 hole in the series.
Brownlee wasn’t alone in the effort. Stephen Holt, Maverick Ahanmisi, and Japeth Aguilar each added 18 points, playing pivotal roles in the closing minutes as they helped stave off a late rally from TNT.
For Holt, his 18 points marked a personal milestone, representing his highest scoring output in the Finals since joining Ginebra in a trade with Terrafirma. His timely contributions proved crucial as the game wore on.
Ginebra’s head coach, Tim Cone, credited his team’s commitment to the fundamentals for the win, saying the team’s focus on defense, rebounding, and hustle allowed them to control the game.
“Everyone’s fighting for the championship, so it’s always tough offensively in the Finals. It’s never just about making shots—it’s about defense, hustle, and doing the little things. We’ve been executing that well the past two games,” Cone said.
He added, “On offense, we kept hitting big shots when we needed them. Throughout this conference, whenever the other team makes a run, someone steps up. Stephen made big shots, Maverick hit a crucial four-point play, and Justin came through at key moments. We’ve been fortunate to hit those important shots.”
Brownlee was efficient throughout, hitting 11 of 16 attempts from the field, including 3 of 4 from beyond the arc and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line. His timely shooting helped push Ginebra to an 85-73 lead late in the third quarter, the game’s largest margin before the final whistle.
Ahanmisi added a critical jumper, and Holt followed with a three-pointer off a scramble for a loose ball, giving Ginebra a 104-92 lead and sealing the win.
TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson also put forth a solid effort, finishing with 28 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in nearly 47 minutes of play. This was the first game in the series where Hollis-Jefferson had to sit briefly due to a minor injury in the second quarter.
Calvin Oftana delivered his best performance of the Finals for TNT, contributing 26 points, but it wasn’t enough to keep his team from falling short.
