SHUT down Justin Brownlee and let the other Gilas Pilipinas members score.
New Zealand coach Judd Flavell basically disclosed the plans of the Tall Blacks against the Filipinos after pulling off a hard-earned 106-102 win in double overtime during their third window showdown in the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers Friday night.
The Tall Blacks held the 38-year-old Brownlee, coming off fresh from a PBA Commissioner’s Cup championship with Barangay Ginebra where he was adjudged Best Import, to a measly five points while managing to just shoot 2-of-3 from the floor.
The Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player also didn’t go to the foul line during the entire contest that lasted a total of 50 minutes.
READ: Gilas falls just short as New Zealand escapes in 2 0T thriller
Flavell believes the home team did a good job of holding down the usually explosive Brownlee.
“Obviously Brownlee is a big part of their (Gilas) focal point offensively, and we did a great job on him,” said the former New Zealand national player turned coach.
“Obviously that opened things up for the others.”
That almost cost the Tall Blacks the game as young guns Juan Gomez De Liano, Kevin Quiambao, Carl Tamayo, and Dwight Ramos took turns carrying the offensively load for the visitors.
Gomez De Liano and Quiambao both had a game-high 23 points and were a combined 7-of-17 from three-point range.
Ramos had his usual all-around numbers of 18 points, four rebounds, and three assists, while Tamayo poured 11 of his 17 in the first half and bombed 3-of-4 from beyonf the arc.
But Brownlee’s lack of offensive contribution still had a huge effect on the heartbreaking loss.
He did hit a crucial three late in the second overtime period that gave Gilas a 100-96 lead, but it was the only time he made his presence felt in Gilas’ offensive scheme.
Brownlee did finish with eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals, although the numbers were a replication of the same showing he had in Gilas’ 69-66 loss to the Tall Blacks in their first meeting during the second window at the Mall of Asia Arena, where the Barangay Ginebra import had four points on 2-of-10 shooting, with six rebounds and two assists.
Flavell credited the Tall Blacks defense on Brownlee including 6-foot-5 Carlin Davison.
“Shoutout to Carlin Davison as well. Sometimes at the end of the game, there’s some plays to be made, and he made a couple of big plays,” said the 52-year-old Flavell.
That big play made by Davison possible when he denied Brownlee the inbound pass by Juan Gomez De Liano with 10 seconds left in the second OT and Gilas trailing, 104-102, led to a Davison steal and preserved the win for the Tall Blacks.
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