Aguilar, JB good to go

There was concern among Barangay Ginebra fans that Justin Brownlee and Japeth Aguilar played hurt in Game Three against TNT in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Friday and may not be available for Game Four tonight. Brownlee had 12 points and Aguilar 10 to start the fourth quarter with Ginebra holding a slim three-point margin, 62-59.But instead of turning on the offensive jets in the payoff period, Ginebra stood its ground defensively and held TNT to only 14 points in winning, 85-73. TNT still leads the series, 2-1, and will open up a commanding 3-1 lead with a victory tonight.

Ginebra fought with a clear sense of urgency in Game Three, realizing another loss would mean one foot in the grave. In Game Four, coach Tim Cone’s charges are expected to play with the same sense of urgency. It could be the pivotal encounter in the duel as depending on the outcome, the series will be either 3-1 for TNT or 2-2 even when the smoke of battle clears.

In Game Three, Brownlee was hounded by TNT’s defense from the start. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Glenn Khobuntin and even Rey Nambatac took turns clamping down on JB, wearing him out, frustrating him and taking away his perimeter artillery. The trick worked as Brownlee bled for his points, shooting 1-of-5 from three for only his first triple of the series. In the fourth quarter, Brownlee put Ginebra on his back and compiled six points, four rebounds and two blocks to anchor the team’s finishing kick. He wound up with 18 points, his lowest in the Finals. It was close with six lead changes and seven ties but Ginebra checked TNT’s offense as the Tropa shot a series-low .276 from three. RHJ played his second no-relief outing and in Game Three, had no turnover but shot only .308 from the floor after hitting .348 in Game One and .565 in Game Two.

PBA vice chairman and Ginebra Board representative Alfrancis Chua said he attended team practice the day before to fire up the troops. He noted Stephen Holt, Mav Ahanmisi and Aguilar have been nursing a fever but they refused to sit. “Si Japeth, pagod at may sakit rin,” said Chua who added that Brownlee was hobbled by cramps in Game Three. Assistant coach Richard del Rosario said Aguilar and Brownlee aren’t injured. “Just the usual aches and pains in a tough series,” he said. “We defended better in Game Three and had a better tempo.”