In his nearly decade-long career with the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, Justin Brownlee has been a beacon of consistency. 

The Gin Kings could count on Brownlee for points, but it’s his ability to show up when Ginebra needs him the most that has made him a favorite for the Gin Kings and Gilas Pilipinas. A timely 3-pointer to clinch a championship? You can count on Brownlee. A big performance in front of a hostile Chinese crowd? Book it. Need a playmaker to get the attention off the rest of the team? Brownlee can do just that. 

However, Brownlee was just a shell of himself in Game 5 of the 2024 Honda PBA Governors’ Cup Finals. 

Brownlee and Ginebra were on the wrong end of a 99-72 defeat to the TNT Tropang Giga and are now one more loss away from coming home empty-handed. Regardless of whether it was on offense or defense, the Filipino-American was clearly having a down game. He had more misses (10) than points scored (eight) and not only was he outplayed by his counterpart in Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, but he was also outmatched by the 42-year old Kelly Williams. 

To be fair, only Scottie Thompson (13 points) and LA Tenorio (13 points) played well for the Gin Kings in Game 5, but it’s uncharacteristic for Brownlee to finish with a subpar performance. Perhaps it’s the defense the Tropang Giga deployed or maybe TNT’s frontcourt depth was too much to handle for him and Ginebra. Whatever the case may be, the Gin Kings can’t have Brownlee misfiring again. 

Brownlee determines the condition of Ginebra’s offense and he normally helps give the Gin Kings a solid start. Yes, Japeth Aguilar is playing some of his best basketball at the moment and part of that comes from his chemistry with Brownlee. 

The struggles Brownlee has faced not just in Game 5 but also throughout the series have led to Ginebra playing from behind for much of the 2024 Governors’ Cup Finals. It doesn’t help that the Tropang Giga have a complete and healthy roster, something that Gin Kings can only dream of at the moment. 

Brownlee and Ginebra can thus approach Game 6 by cutting TNT down to size. The way Brownlee plays can certainly draw fouls from the opposition, so getting the likes of Hollis-Jefferson, Williams, Poy Erram, and even Calvin Oftana into foul trouble should force Tropang Giga head coach Chot Reyes’ hand. Reducing the frontcourt depth would make it hard for TNT’s shooters to get comfortable and from there, the Gin Kings can pounce. 

It’s obviously easier said than done, but the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings may need to help out their ever-reliable import in Justin Brownlee. He has his worst game in the PBA and with a title hanging in the balance, it may be time for them to put him in a position to return to the Justin Brownlee of old. After all, teamwork will make the dream work.