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MANILA, Philippines – Playing for Gilas Pilipinas requires blood, sweat, and tears – literally.
Naturalized player Justin Brownlee suffered a busted lip in practice on Friday, April 28, as preparations for the Philippines’ redemption campaign in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia intensified.
The Barangay Ginebra import took to Instagram to share a photo of his cut, which – according to a report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer – he sustained after an elbow hit by his former Gin Kings teammate Arvin Tolentino.
Brownlee is expected to lead Gilas Pilipinas’ gold-medal charge after the team settled for silver in the Vietnam SEA Games last year following a stunning loss to Indonesia.
“I’m excited for it. I hear the media is calling it the Redeem Team,” said Brownlee in a past interview.
“We lost last year and that is where the motivation comes,” he added. “Just want to reclaim the gold and bring the gold back to the Philippines.”
After a naturalization process that took years to finish, the three-time PBA Best Import finally suited up for the national team in the sixth and final window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers in February.
Brownlee did not disappoint, averaging 29 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal in a rousing win over Lebanon and a narrow loss to Jordan.
That kind of production will be needed in the SEA Games.
“I’m looking forward to helping get the gold back. I understand that the Philippines historically… has always won the gold,” Brownlee said.
“We play hard, we work hard together, and redeem the gold for the Philippines.”
Brownlee and the Philippines will go up against Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore in the group stage of the men’s basketball competition, which will run from May 9 to 16. – Rappler.com
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