MANILA, Philippines – In the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday night at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Barangay Ginebra defeated Terrafirma in a thrilling comeback victory led by Justin Brownlee. After the team’s previous poor performance of 18 points, Brownlee scored an incredible 49 points. His commanding performance was essential to winning and igniting Ginebra’s campaign.

RJ Abarrientos, who scored 18 points a few days after a difficult 90-93 loss to Hong Kong Eastern, also made a substantial contribution to the victory. His consistent play helped Ginebra regain momentum in the tournament by balancing Brownlee’s explosive performance.

Together, the two made ten three-pointers, demonstrating their offensive effectiveness and shooting ability. Due to their efforts, Barangay Ginebra finished with a 3-1 record, tying Meralco and Rain or Shine for third place.

As the Dyip dropped to 0–6, losing the competition, the defeat moved Terrafirma further down the standings. They put up a valiant fight, but they couldn’t overcome Ginebra’s late-game surge, which was spearheaded by Brownlee’s genius.

As the Commissioner’s Cup heats up, the victory keeps Ginebra in a solid position to make the playoffs and shows that they can perform well under duress.

In the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday night at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Barangay Ginebra put on a dominant show, defeating the struggling Terrafirma Dyip 113-99. Despite Terrafirma’s late-game challenge, the Gin Kings demonstrated their offensive firepower and tenacity under the leadership of Justin Brownlee’s outstanding performance.

Early dominance by the Gin Kings, who led 26–20 in the first quarter and 52–43 at the half, gave them the upper hand. Ginebra’s offensive assault persisted in the beginning of the third quarter, increasing their advantage to as high as 22 points at 69-47. In the last canto, Terrafirma put up a fierce fightback against the team despite their superior position.

With a remarkable double-double of 27 points and 12 rebounds, Brandon Walton Edwards led the Dyip’s comeback attempts. Terrafirma was helped by Vic Manuel with a 3 pointer.

With an incredible 49 points, including six three-pointers on 6-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc, Brownlee was the clear star of the game. RJ Abarrientos contributed 18 points with an extremely effective 4-of-5 three-point shooting percentage, providing crucial help. Troy Rosario became the third Ginebra player to get ten points with an additional seventeen points.

Despite losing two important players—Stephen Holt due to a knee injury and Japeth Aguilar due to a groin ailment—the Gin Kings demonstrated their depth and versatility. Ginebra showed why they are still a serious contender in the competition by sustaining their defensive vigor and offensive rhythm in spite of these defeats.

After a heartbreaking loss to Hong Kong Eastern earlier in the week, the victory signaled Ginebra’s comeback to form. Additionally, it helped the club finish with a 3-1 record, matching them for third place in the rankings with Rain or Shine and Meralco.

In the meantime, Terrafirma kept losing, dropping to 0–6 and losing the Commissioner’s Cup. Ginebra’s well-rounded offense and late-game poise were too much for Edwards’ outstanding effort and Manuel’s heroics in the closing minutes of the game.

Ginebra has a busy schedule ahead of them as the Commissioner’s Cup gets closer. Before facing their rivals, the Magnolia Hotshots, on Christmas Day, the Gin Kings will play Converge on the road in Batangas City on Saturday.

The triumph for Ginebra is evidence of their tenacity and capacity to function well under duress. The team has reestablished themselves as a major contender with Brownlee in the forefront, and they plan to continue this momentum in the upcoming games.

Scores at the end of the match

Ginebra with 114 points for the win

Individual scores: Brownlee 49, Abarrientos 18, Rosario 17, Thompson 8, Adamos 7, Pessumal 6, Mariano 5, Ahanmisi 4, Cu 0, Tenorio 0, Pinto 0.

Terrafirma with 98 points

Individual scores: Edwards 27, Manuel 19, Pringle 11, Hernandez 10, Ferrer 9, Paraiso 8, Ramos 5, Melecio 5, Sangalang 2, Catapusan 2, Olivario 0, Hanapi 0.

Scores per quarter

26-20, 52-43, 85-69, 114-98