JUSTIN Brownlee and Allen Durham may be older compared to the last time they faced off in a series, but the Barangay Ginebra import said he expects the intensity will remain the same when they clash anew in the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup quarterfinals.
Brownlee and Durham last figured in a high-stakes game back in January 17, 2020, with Ginebra defeating Meralco, 105-93, in Game Five of the 2019 Governors’ Cup finals.
More than four years later, Brownlee and Durham will go at it again, but this time, in a best-of-five quarterfinals series.
“Of course, we are older now,” said the 36-year-old Brownlee. “That’s the big difference.”
But Brownlee said Durham, also 36, remains his impactful self, and it reflects in the win-loss record of the Bolts who finished with a 7-3 mark in Group A.
“But he’s been playing great this conference. Obviously, they are having some success. They finished No. 2. He’s going to be great. We know that,” said Brownlee, who is just three months older than his PBA rival.
Keys to Brownlee-Durham IV
Ahead of the renewal of rivalry, Brownlee sees defense deciding who will come out on top in the quarterfinals affair.
“This Meralco team has changed a lot. Of course, Ginebra has changed a lot as well. I think the mentality is going to be the same. For us, it’s going to be the 'NSD'-type attitude and just try to do everything to win," he said.
"It’s definitely going to be a defensive series. The team that can come up with the best defensive schemes or who can play the best defense, that’s who will come out on top in this series. Hopefully, we can lock down on defense and be on point.”
Meanwhile, Brownlee also allayed fears of a major injury after sustaining cramps in their overtime defeat to NLEX.
“The last jump shot I shot, I kinda felt something. Not normal. But I’m used to the feeling as far as when a cramp comes. Just got a little fatigued and felt the cramp and then I ran it back, tried to run it off, hoping that it would go away," he said.
“But I think I tried to get the rebound and, like, my whole leg just got locked up. I’m sure most athletes know that feeling and at some point in their career, they felt that. It’s just cramps. Luckily, it was nothing else.”
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