Justin Brownlee just had his own version of "flu game" when he helped Barangay Ginebra turn back San Miguel in their marquee encounter last Sunday, Jan. 5.

And whether he gets better or still has to deal with it even after a two-day break will not matter as he aims to deliver the same impressive performance when Ginebra faces another formidable opponent in the league-pacing NorthPort.

The Kings get their shot at testing the mettle of the Batang Pier, who proved to be one of the biggest revelations so far in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup, on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

NorthPort is currently at the top of the standings with a 6-1 record while Ginebra is just a game behind with a 5-2 slate heading into their 7:30 p.m. collision.

It will also come after the first offering at 5 p.m. where the second-running Rain or Shine will also stake its four-game winning streak against a Blackwater team determined to move out of the bottom part of the standings.

And Brownlee can certainly see why the Batang Pier have been thriving so far in the conference.

“They’ve been playing really great. Give a lot of credit to their whole team. Arvin (Tolentino has been playing at a very high level not just in this conference but for a while now since he got to NorthPort,” said Brownlee.

“And the import (Kadeem Jack), I think he’s really a good fit for them and that’s the reason why they have been playing so well,” he added.

But NorthPort, in its first seven games, proved to be more than just its high-scoring star and its athletic reinforcement. 

Joshua Munzon has been the defensive anchor of the team while guards Evan Nelle and Fran Yu have been blossoming as effective playmakers who can enable a potent crew that also featured weapons like William Navarro, Cade Flores and Allyn Bulanadi.

“I’m pretty sure we’ll get them a lot of respect and go with the proper scouting and everything looking forward to that and looking forward to the matchup,” said Brownlee who still finished with 19 points despite playing under the weather.

Ginebra, however, is not the one to be lacking especially in firepower with Troy Rosario now finding his place on the offense that also has the likes of Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson, Maverick Ahanmisi and RJ Abarrientos.