San Miguel Beer used a rotating defensive scheme to slow down Barangay Ginebra import Justin Brownlee and pulled off an 85-82 comeback win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen did not shut down Brownlee’s scoring but forced him to work for every point by throwing different defenders at him, including Marcio Lassiter, Mo Tautuaa, Andreas Cahilig, and import Justin Patton.
San Miguel erased a 15-point first-half deficit and held its ground late to secure its second straight win and improve to 3-2.
Coach Leo Austria said the team adjusted its defensive matchups after Ginebra exploited early mismatches.
San Miguel limited Brownlee’s overall efficiency despite his 31-point output. The Ginebra import shot 13-of-32 from the field and struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 3-of-14 attempts.
Brownlee scored 12 points in the fourth quarter but missed two crucial free throws in the final 67 seconds with the game on the line.
Austria said the team also focused on limiting Brownlee’s impact on the boards, holding him to just three rebounds.
San Miguel controlled the glass, 63-48, and capitalized on second-chance opportunities, 13-6. The Beermen also dominated inside, outscoring Ginebra 44-32 in the paint.
Austria emphasized defense as the key to winning, as San Miguel relied on discipline and physical play to close out the game. FROM THE WIRES