Brownlee takes over as Gilas gets SEA Games payback vs Indonesia

MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas exacted sweet vengeance on reigning champion Indonesia, essaying an emotional 84-76 comeback win in the semifinals to stay in hunt for a gold medal redemption.

With their backs against the wall Monday night, the Nationals took a flurry of punches in the first half and rolled with it in the end game to erase an 11-point deficit and advance to the Last Dance of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games at Morodok Techo Stadium Elephant Hall 2 in Phnom Penh.

Justin Brownlee rose to the occasion once more with a 34-point eruption highlighted by back-to-back triples in the clutch as the Filipinos quickly ended Indonesia’s reign and forge a finals duel with new threat and host Cambodia, which dealt them a 79-68 loss in the elims.

Brownlee, the newly minted Philippine reinforcement this year, laced his stellar outing with nine rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks for a full line in 35 minutes of play.

Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser (13) and Arvin Tolentino (10) provided aid for Brownlee as the Filipinos kicked the Indonesians out of their throne only a year after rising as the new SEA king at their expense.

Gilas bowed to Indonesia, 85-81, in last year’s Hanoi SEA Games but made sure this time for the history to not repeat itself.

Licking the wounds and nursing the bruises of that historic defeat that dragged the Filipinos for only their first silver medal in three decades, Gilas came out with extra fire and desire behind a searing second-half run.

Gilas stared at an early 27-38 deficit, following Lester Prosper’s trey for Indonesia, before slightly moving within striking distance at 38-45 at the break.

The Nationals stepped on the gas with a fiery 11-2 rally capped by Rosser’s slam to steal the driver’s seat at 49-47 only for the Indonesians to weather the storm and take command anew at 65-60 after three.

Then, Brownlee’s magic happened.

With Gilas on brink of elimination and relegation to mere bronze medal match, Brownlee ran roughshod with eight straight points to flip a 70-74 deficit to a 78-74 lead in the last two minutes.

The Filipinos actually trailed by 64-71 in the last seven minutes before going on a wild 22-5 closeout, including Brownlee’s 13 points in that stretch as they arranged a rematch with Cambodia to complete an unfinished business.

Former PBA import and now naturalized player Lester Prosper (26) led Indonesia, which will slug it out against Thailand for the bronze mint.