SEAG gold best medal for Brownlee

JUSTIN Brownlee is a six-time champion with Barangay Ginebra in the PBA. He knew how it feels like to win all these championships amid the ups and downs of pro basketball.

Yet, the 6-foot-4 Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player ranked his latest Southeast Asian Games men’s basketball gold medal achievement “at the top” simply because he did for the millions of basketball-crazy Filipinos.

Justin Brownlee shoots over a Cambodian player during the 32nd Southeast Asian Games men’s basketball finals on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. PHOTO BY RIO DELUVIO 

“I got to put it (SEA Games gold) at the top,” Brownlee said as a matter of fact, the Philippine flag draped all over his back, moments after he spearheaded the national squad’s 80-69 triumph over Cambodia to seal the country’s successful gold medal redemption on Tuesday night.

“Playing for Ginebra is truly special, [there’s] nothing like it but I have to say that about representing in and putting on this Filipino jersey is nothing like it, it’s an unbelievable feeling when you have the whole country behind your back and wanting you to do great, just got to feed off that energy,” added the sweet-shooting Gilas “reinforcement” who led the team with 23 points and seven rebounds in the national team’s gold medal accomplishment.

The former St. John’s standout admitted the trek back to the top of Southeast Asian basketball again was never easy, considering the spate of injuries suffered by several veteran members in the pool just a few weeks into the tournament.

But knowing he’s got a huge task at hand of leading this Philippine version’s “Redeem Team,” Brownlee said he didn’t back down on the challenge but went to Phnom Penh, Cambodia all locked in.

“Proud of just going out there and leaving it all on the floor,” the 34-year-old Brownlee said. “Like I all said before, ‘Filipino pride.’ That’s what it’s all about, win, lose or draw you leave it all on the floor and whatever happens, you live with it.”

Brownlee added he didn’t come to the SEA Games to achieve something for himself.

“I definitely wasn’t satisfied [with] just having a good performance or looking good myself. But I’m proud of myself as a team player,” shared Brownlee, who is a three-time PBA Best Import. “The team success is my success just like everybody else’s success. So when that clock hit zero, I felt [the] proudest on the field.”