PBA: Brownlee sharp again; Ginebra acquires Chan
By Waylon Galvez
Quick and ferocious in the paint and sharp from afar, Justin Brownlee appears to have recovered his offensive rhythm as he helped power the Ginebra Kings score back-to-back wins in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
He was again a joy to watch in the team’s 104-84 drubbing of the Magnolia Hotshots as he scattered a game-high 35 points.
His latest showing was a big turnaround to his first two games with the league’s most popular ballclub that saw them suffer stinging defeats.
“We played our best game of the conference,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone.
“Obviously we get a little bit more comfortable with Justin (on the team). We’re feeling a lot better.”
Those wins were crucial for Ginebra as it moved up to ninth spot with a 3-5 card, and more importantly, put the team in a position to make a run for a playoff berth with three games to play in its elimination round.
Prior to Ginebra’s win against Magnolia, the team downed NLEX (93-85) in Brownlee’s third game with the franchise.
Despite his scoring prowess, Brownlee said he’d like to do more in other departments like rebounding and passing, to show that he’s doing everything he can in his power to help the team get to the next stage.
To boost their chances, the Kings acquired gunner Jeff Chan from Phoenix Fuel yesterday in exchange for a first round pick in this year’s PBA Rookie Draft.
Chan, who initially played for Red Bull before transferring to Rain or Shine, is averaging 11.5 points while shooting 38 percent from the field with 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.22 steals a game.