DUBAI, UAE – From afar, Mighty Sports import Justine Brownlee looked terribly sad as he sat beside naturalized center Marcus Douthit while waiting for the team’s designated bus to arrive for another round of practice Wednesday.
He was a picture of a discontentment, and that was understandable.
Brownlee played so hard for four games for Mighty Sports in the Dubai International Basketball Championship and yet victory proved too elusive for the team aching to win another international glory here.
No win, no bonus for the team, so that left Brownlee unhappy.
But his eyes rolled gently upward and brightened like a boy receiving a Christmas gift when asked about his thoughts on Ginebra going up against its sister team San Miguel Beer in the PBA Philippine Cup finals starting today.
“I’m excited about it, San Miguel is a tough team but Ginebra will win the title. No doubt about it,” said the 6-foot-5 American import whose long bombs helped Ginebra end an 8-year title drought by winning the Governors’ Cup last season.
But for the Gin Kings to win, Brownlee said, they better come up with an air-tight defense on the 6-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo.
“They better take care of business holding June Mar. When we go home I’ll try to catch up and watch with their games,” added Brownlee with excitement as he recalled some glorious moments of their championship run.
It’s impossible for the Gin Kings to stop Fajardo, Brownlee stressed, but if they can push the three-time MVP out of his comfort zone from time to time, they will have a greater chance to win a second straight title.
Apart from limiting Fajardo’s production, Brownlee said, veteran guards LA Tenorio and Sol Mercado should hit their outside shots and play very smart from start to finish.
“The veteran guards should also step up offensively. They are the key to Ginebra’s success,” said Brownlee, knowing full well that San Miguel has deadly shooters like Marcio Lassiter and Alex Cabagnot and an able court general in Chris Ross.
Also, Brownlee is hoping that rookie guard Scottie Thompson will sustain his brilliant form, believing the athleticism and seemingly bottom-less energy of the former University of Perpetual star can stoke fire on the team.
“He’s one of the guys to watch for Ginebra and in the series,” said Brownlee, who smilingly declined to foretell how long Ginebra will take the series.
All he can say is that Ginebra – his former team and would be team again – will end up as a big winner in what he expects to be one hell of a title series. (REY LACHICA)
