SBP optimistic Brownlee will avoid suspension, play for Gilas in Asia Cup

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Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio says the federation is 'hearing positively' as it hopes for Justin Brownlee to reinforce Gilas Pilipinas in the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup in August

MANILA, Philippines – Things are looking up for Justin Brownlee in his bid to reinforce Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in August.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio on Friday, May 9, said the federation is optimistic that Brownlee will dodge a suspension after he tested positive for a banned substance for the second time in two years.

The naturalized star recently received notice of an adverse analytical finding, which according to the World Anti-Doping Agency is a report that identifies the “presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites” in a sample.

“What I hear is he might be able to avoid it because he has, I think a term for that is, therapeutic exemption for medicinal purposes. That exemption, there’s a range of the level of marijuana in the blood as long as you don’t go beyond and I don’t think he did,” said Panlilio after the SBP National Congress.

“That’s what we’re hearing, but if I may, just wait for the official. But we’re hearing positively, so we want to keep it at that.”

Brownlee previously tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a prohibited substance linked to cannabis use, after steering the national team to a historic gold medal in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in October 2023.

He served a three-month suspension that began in November 2023 and ended in February 2024 before he got clearance to play again.

Aside from doping woes, the 37-year-old Brownlee has also dealt with injuries as he dislocated his right thumb while playing for Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Governors’ Cup finals in March.

Sustaining the injury in Game 3 of the best-of-seven championship duel against TNT, Brownlee fought through the pain and powered the Gin Kings to a 3-2 series lead, but the Tropang Giga came out on top in seven games.

Brownlee went under the knife to fix his thumb in April.

“That’s the only thing, how soon he recovers from that. I’m getting assurances that shouldn’t be an issue. We still have about three months for him to recover,” said Panlilio.

As usual, Brownlee is expected to carry a heavy load as the Philippines eyes redemption in the upcoming Asia Cup, especially as the team misses the services of injured big man Kai Sotto.

Brownlee averaged 21.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.7 steals in the Asia Cup Qualifiers, leading the country to a 4-2 record.

Familiar foes await the Filipinos in the Asia Cup as they got bunched with New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, and Iraq in Group D. – Rappler.com