PBA: Justin Brownlee hits game-winning 3 again vs Allen Durham as Ginebra edges Meralco for 2-0 lead

Justin Brownlee hit a game-winning three against Allen Durham again. PBA Images
By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—In 2016, Justin Brownlee hit a game-winning three against Allen Durham to give Ginebra the PBA Governors' Cup championship.

Eight years later, although it is not yet the conference finals, Brownlee did it again.

Brownlee went clutch again against Durham on Saturday night as the former scored the go-ahead triple against the latter's outstretched arms as Ginebra prevailed against Meralco, 104-103, in Game 2 of their quarterfinal series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Brownlee turned a block on Durham's layup that could have iced the game for the Bolts into the eventual game-winner with 10.1 seconds left.

"I think the experience definitely helped," said Brownlee.

"He could definitely make that much of his own without any play," added coach Tim Cone.

The difference this time, though, is that Meralco still had a chance to win.

However, Joe Devance's help defense on Chris Newsome forced the latter to pass the ball to Cliff Hodge, who missed a midrange shot even as Durham could not convert the follow-up before the final buzzer sounded.

Brownlee and Durham each finished with 39 points, but the former's game-winner put him one up over the latter as the Gin Kings are now 2-0 up in their best-of-five series with Game 3 on Monday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

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