Award runners-up Brownlee, Aguilar come up big as Ginebra ties PBA finals vs TNT

MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra teammates Justin Brownlee and Japeth Aguilar fell short of the top individual awards in the PBA Governors’ Cup.

But both played prominent roles on Sunday, November 3, as the Gin Kings pulled level with TNT in the best-of-seven finals by way of an emphatic 106-92 victory in Game 4 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Trumped by Tropang Giga star Rondae Hollis-Jefferson for the Best Import honors, Brownlee turned in his highest scoring outing of the finals with 34 points to help Ginebra earn back-to-back wins after losses in Games 1 and 2.

Aguilar, who finished as runner-up to Best Player of the Conference winner June Mar Fajardo, supplied 18 points and 6 rebounds as he and Brownlee knocked down timely buckets in the third quarter to keep TNT at bay.

Brownlee and Aguilar scored 12 points each in the third period, allowing the Gin Kings to mount an 85-77 lead before Maverick Ahanmisi and Stephen Holt delivered the finishing blows.

Ahanmisi and Holt churned out 18 points apiece as they combined for 15 of the 21 points Ginebra dropped in the final frame.

TNT remained within striking distance at 90-97 with over three minutes remaining before Ahanmisi, who also tallied 8 rebounds and 2 steals, drained a booming four-pointer for a 101-90 lead.

Holt, who also proved to be a pest on the defensive end with 5 steals, then sank a three-pointer with 1:28 minutes to go for the proverbial dagger that stretched the Gin Kings’ advantage to 104-92.

“We just kept making big shots when we needed to. We’ve been doing that pretty much all conference long,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone.

On a night he received his second Best Import plum, Hollis-Jefferson lived up to his billing with 28 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals, but his effort went for naught as the Tropang Giga trailed almost the entire game.

Calvin Oftana posted 26 points and 6 rebounds in the loss.

The Scores

Barangay Ginebra 106 – Brownlee 34, Ahanmisi 18, J. Aguilar 18, Holt 18, Thompson 12, Abarrientos 5, Devance 1, Tenorio 0, Cu 0, Pinto 0.

TNT 92 – Hollis-Jefferson 28, Oftana 26, Nambatac 15, Castro 9, Pogoy 9, Erram 3Aurin 2, Heruela 0, Khobuntin 0, Williams 0.

Quarters: 30-25, 54-42, 85-77, 106-92.

– Rappler.com