The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
By Robert Andaya
IT was “Miracle in Hangzhou” as three-time PBA Best Import Justin Brownlee saved the day in Gilas Pilipinas’ dramatic, come-from-behind 77-76 win over eight-time champion China in the 19th Asian Games men’s basketball competition at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre in China on Wednesday.
Brownlee scored 17 of his game-high 33 points, including five three-point shots, as the Filipinos rallied from a 20-point deficit in the third quarter to beat the Chinese for the second time in a many months and advance to the final against elimination round tormentor Jordan.
The last of Brownlee’s three-point binge capped a crippling 10-0 run and gave the Tim Cone-mentored Filipinos a 77-76 lead with 24 seconds remaining.
That was enough to secure the win for the Filipinos as Zhang Zhenlin missed his potential game-winning midrange jumper after the Chinese opted to dribble the time away before going for the game’s final basket.
With the win, the Filipinos are guaranteed to get their first medal in the prestigious event considered as the Olympics of Asia” since the pocketing the bronze medal in 1998 edition in Bangkok, Thailand, also under Cone.
Brownlee, who took the place of NBA veteran Jordan Clarkson as the team’s naturalized player for the Asiad, almost singlehandedly carried Gilas to victory as he outscored the whole Chinese team, 17-14, in the pivotal third quarter.
And with the Chinese still in control in the fourth period, the 35-year-old American-Filipino stepped up to the challenge to the shock of a loud Chinese crowd that included NBA great and FIBA Ambassador Yao Ming.
Reigning PBA MVP Scottie Thompson was the lone double digit scorer for Gilas with 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
CJ Perez contributed eight points, five rebounds, and four assists, six-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo also had eight points and four rebounds and last-minute addition Kevin Alas added five points, all in the payoff period.
The Philippines will now meet Jordan in the championship game at 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 6.
Jordan defeated Chinese-Taipei, 90-71, in the other semifinal.
Led by TNT import Ronday Hollis-Jefferson, Jordan routed the Philippines, 87-62, in the group stage.
The scores
Philippines (77) — Brownlee 33, Thompson 13, Fajardo 8, Perez 8, Alas 5, Newsome 4, Oftana 4, Kouame 2, Ross 0, Lassiter 0, Aguilar 0.
China (76) — Zhao R. 18, Hu M. 10, Zhu 10, Wang 10, Zhao J. 9, Hu J. 8, Du 6, Zhang 4, Cui 1, Cheng 0.
Quarterscores: 17-19, 30-48, 50-62, 77-76.