Coach Tim Cone said the signature play that saw Justin Brownlee score a crucial dunk epitomized how Barangay Ginebra San Miguel was able to come away with a Game 2 victory over Meralco in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.
Brownlee’s slam after taking the ball from Chris Banchero with 1:22 to go in the contest held Friday, April 8 at the Mall of Asia Arena allowed the Gin Kings to level the series at 1-1 with a 99-93 victory.
Ginebra was up 94-91 when Brownlee came through with the big play.
“The steal on Banchero was probably the play of the game,” said Cone.
It was one of several big plays Ginebra made in the fourth quarter to prevent Meralco from completing a comeback after being down 20.
Meralco had cut the deficit to two on a pair of occasions, the last at 88-86 when Tony Bishop scored a putback midway in the payoff period.
But two three-point plays by Christian Standhardinger and Brownlee gave the Gin Kings a cushion they needed in the final minutes.
“We had to make some spectacular plays down the stretch to win this game, and that’s the way the series is gonna be,” said Cone. “Tonight, it was our night. It was their night last time.”
Cone also likened the team's response after a rough start to the title series with a 104-91 loss two nights earlier at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
In that game, the Gin Kings struggled offensively while also allowing the Bolts to pull away.
“I just think it was a mental adjustment coming out,” he said. “We came out with a little more fire, we came out with a little more purpose and really focused on some of the little things we need to make.”
“We just played a really loose game in Game 1 and we needed to really tighten up everything we do. We tightened up a lot of things.”