Brownlee shakes off injury as Gin Kings square things up vs Tropang Giga in Game 4

ANTIPOLO, Rizal – Before Game 4 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals started, it was uncertain whether import Justin Brownlee would be able to play for Barangay Ginebra.

Brownlee started and waxed hot in the first half, playing the most minutes for the Gin Kings, to lead Ginebra to a series-tying 95-78 victory over the TNT Tropang Giga Friday evening at the Ynares Center here.

The Gin Kings pulled away late to tie the best-of-seven championship series at 2-2.

Jamie Malonzo sparked Ginebra with 24 points and four rebounds in 32 minutes off the bench, while Brownlee, who played with a heavily taped right hand, finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and two blocks on 9-of-17 shooting. He had 16 points in the first half on 6-of-7 shooting. 

Brownlee, who exited Game 3 Wednesday with a thumb injury, was actually a game-time decision. But he started and played a team-high 45 minutes and 32 seconds to help Ginebra grab the crucial victory.

After leading by double digits in the first half, Ginebra was ahead by just two, 76-78, with 7:13 remaining after a Rondae Hollis-Jefferson layup.

The Gin Kings then caught fire and poured in 11 unanswered points capped by a deuce by Mav Ahanmisi to push their lead to 13, 89-76, with 2:29 remaining.

A Rey Nambatac jumper halted the run, 78-89, but those were TNT's last points in the game, as Ahanmisi and Malonzo connected on back-to-back 3-pointers iced the contest.

Japeth Aguilar chipped in 18 points for eight rebounds and two assists, while Stephen Holt added 12.

Calvin Oftana powered TNT with 17 points, five rebounds and four assists, while RR Pogoy had 16 markers. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who was crowned the Best Import of the Conference before tipoff, had 14 markers, 12 boards and five dimes. Nambatac, for his part, tallied 13 points.

Game 5 of the series will be on Sunday, 7:30 p.m., at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.