COACHING Justin Brownlee the past seven seasons, Tim Cone knows the import has a way of always redeeming himself.
On Sunday night, the 34-year-old Barangay Ginebra import just proved that as he didn't disappoint his long-time mentor by delivering big time in a 99-91 win over Meralco in their PBA Commissioner's Cup showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Brownlee finished with a game-high 34 points, five rebounds and four assists, and took charge for the team down the stretch to stop on track a charging Meralco side.
The two-time Best Import scored 13 points in the final period, including the Kings' final eight points to secure the team's first win in the tournament.
The performance hardly surprised Cone.
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"You just know he is going to bounce back. His history is that he bounces back and he has done that throughout his five, six years that he has been here," said the Ginebra coach.
Prior to the game, Ginebra is coming off a 93-71 beating at the hands of Rain or Shine in a game in which Brownlee produced a double-double of 20 points and 16 rebounds, but struggled with his shots behind a paltry 28 percent shooting from the floor, including 1-of-10 from three-point range.
But Cone was ready for a Brownlee bounce back game.
"I think the moment you start to doubt Justin, I think you're a little bit silly," the champion coach said with a big smile. "I just think you just got to keep with him and stay with him, and he is going to deliver like he did tonight.
"Beware if you doubt Justin." (RG)
