Barangay Ginebra San Miguel superstar Justin Brownlee against TNT Tropang 5G Game 5 of the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup Finals. PBA Images.MANILA — Justin Brownlee had himself a night as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel inched closer to ruling the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup, but he was quick to refocus as they go for the kill on Sunday.
“We got [a virtual] twice-to-beat. But of course, with a team like TNT, it’s hard to close the series,” said Brownlee, who poured in a PBA career-high 54 points on 22-of-37 shooting as the Gin Kings defeated TNT Tropang 5G, 100-95, to take a 3-2 lead in the series.
READ: Brownlee fires career-best 54 to carry Ginebra to 3-2 Finals lead vs. TNT
It was a historic night for Brownlee, whose previous career-high was 51.
Not only did every point matter as Ginebra erased an 11-point deficit in the second half and a seven-point disadvantage in the fourth quarter.
According to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, Brownlee's 54 points are also the highest output in a PBA Finals game since Tony Harris scored 54 in Swift's 124-110 overtime loss to San Miguel Beer in Game 3 of the 1994 Governors' Cup.
But even with how special the game was for Brownlee, Gin Kings head coach Tim Cone echoed the sentiment that Ginebra should not get too high ahead of Sunday.
“I went into the locker room and said, ‘Hey, we’re not celebrating. You can’t celebrate a game like this. You just put it away and move forward,’” shared Cone. “This team, they can come back and beat us twice. We’re gonna have to find a way to fight back.”
Even the 38-year-old Brownlee said there are no excuses despite the heavy burden he has shouldered once again for Ginebra.
“Everybody’s tired right now. So there are no excuses,” he said.
Ginebra can clinch the title in Game 6 at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
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