WATCH: Interview with Best Player Stephen Holt and Coach Tim Cone [Nov. 3, 2024]

Justin Brownlee showcased his elite offensive prowess, pouring in an impressive 34 points as Barangay Ginebra leveled the series in the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup Finals with a commanding 106-92 victory over TNT at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.

Brownlee’s explosive performance marked his highest point total in this best-of-seven finals, thrilling the crowd of 16,783 at the Big Dome. This electrifying display came on a night when he narrowly missed out on the Best Import award, which went to TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

More crucially for the Gin Kings, this win revitalized their championship aspirations, bringing the series to a best-of-three showdown after facing an initial 0-2 deficit in the finals.

Brownlee was well-supported, with Stephen Holt, Maverick Ahanmisi, and Japeth Aguilar contributing 18 points each, delivering crucial baskets in the closing moments that deflated the rallying Tropang Giga.

Notably, the 18 points represented Holt’s highest scoring output in his debut PBA Finals since joining Ginebra in a trade with Terrafirma, highlighting his impact in this pivotal matchup.

Brgy. Ginebra head coach Tim Cone emphasized that attention to the finer details allowed his team to capitalize on offensive opportunities throughout the game.

“This is the finals, it’s going to be a tough go offensively always in the finals. Everybody wants to win so badly that it’s never just about making shots. It’s always about how much guys are going to defend and rebound and hustle. And that’s what we’ve been able to do this last two games,” said Cone.

“In terms of our offense, we just kept making big shots when we needed to. We’ve been doing that pretty much all conference long. It seems like when the team started to make a run at us, somebody hits a big shot. Stephen was the one making those big shots, Maverick hit that big four, Justin had one. We’ve been fortunate that we’ve been hitting the big shots when it counts,” he added.

Brownlee displayed remarkable accuracy, shooting 11-for-16 from the field, including a stellar 3-for-4 from beyond the arc and 2-for-4 from the charity stripe. His timely shot lifted Barangay Ginebra to an 85-73 advantage in the final moments of the third quarter, marking the largest lead of the contest before the final buzzer.

Ahanmisi then hit a crucial jumper, while Holt followed up with a three-pointer off a scramble for the loose ball, extending Ginebra’s lead to 104-92 and effectively sealing the victory.