JUSTIN Brownlee is back in the Philippines, as Gilas Pilipinas’ major preparations for its FIBA Asia Cup 2025 campaign is expected to roll by next week.
The prolific naturalized player arrived in town on Thursday, but failed to join the national team during the adidas event unveiling the new Gilas kits on the same day.
READ: All the details you want to know about the new Gilas jerseys
The 37-year-old Brownlee is coming off right hand surgery in the U.S. after suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) during the last PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals between Barangay Ginebra and TNT.
Philippine coach Tim Cone said the Gin Kings' resident import has been working out in the U.S. and has been back to basketball activities prior to coming over, as his injured right thumb already has full range of motion.
“He should be good to go in late July,” he said.
Gilas has begun to gather this week for the coming Asia Cup, holding its first training session last Monday, which turned out to be more of a video viewing than actual practice at the Upper Deck Sports Center in Ortigas.
Present during the first day of practice were Scottie Thompson, RJ Abarrientos, Troy Rosario, Jamie Malonzo, Japeth Aguilar, CJ Perez, Chris Newsome, Carl Tamayo, and Dwight Ramos.
Also this week, Fil-Nigerian AJ Edu arrived in the country and was present in the Gilas jersey unveiling.
Brownlee back
Brownlee’s presence at the start of actual Philippine team practices would allow him to test his newly-operated shooting hand after undergoing surgery last April.
“We would like to have him here by the first week of July just to make him, get him under control with our trainers and working out already,” said Cone. “So when the team comes together, he’ll be ready to go.”
The Asia Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia will be Brownlee’s first major tournament since hurting his right hand in Game 4 of the finals, which the then-Tropang Giga ultimately won in a dramatic overtime Game 7, 87-83.
The amiable Ginebra reinforcement had to play the rest of the title series with his right thumb heavily taped, otherwise it would have literally fallen out, according to Cone.
“When you take that tape off his thumb, his thumb falls out,” added the PBA’s winningest coach.
Ironically, Brownlee arrived a day after the Gin Kings were booted out by San Miguel in the semifinals of the Philippine Cup, losing the decisive Game 7 of the series, 100-93, last Wednesday.
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