Brownlee challenges Balkman to give his all

Barangay Ginebra's Justin Brownlee and San Miguel's Renaldo Balkman will set aside memories of their recent championship run in a different league for at least the next two weeks when they face off in the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals which starts on Friday.

Brownlee and Balkman are eyeing their second title in a span of almost three months after joining forces to lead Alab Pilipinas to the ASEAN Basketball League crown with a victory over Thailand's Mono Vampire in a Finals series that went a deciding fifth game.

The two made it to the PBA's grandest stage after San Miguel dispatched Alaska and Ginebra surviving Rain or Shine with similar 3-1 victories in the semis.

"Just a couple of months ago, me and him were like Batman and Robin," Brownlee said after Ginebra's 96-94 victory over Rain or Shine Monday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

"It's gonna be exciting for the fans, it's gonna be a treat for them, and hopefully, like one of (Balkman's) favorite quotes, it's gonna be a show. I hope it will be just that."

They reached the finals by leading a turnaround that emulated the path they went through with Alab in the ABL.

The two Americans arrived in early-January and rescued Alab from a 1-3 start to become the third Philippine team to win the title in the international league.

Balkman arrived after San Miguel suffered two straight losses to begin the Commissioner's Cup before picking it up in the playoffs with wins over TNT KaTropa and Alaska.

Brownlee, on the other hand, lost his first two games since replacing Charles Garcia, dropping Ginebra's record to 1-5. But the Kings won 10 of their next 11, including the playoffs, to arrange the dream showdown with Balkman and the Beermen.

"I don't know how will I text him but I'll just congratulate him and tell him to give it his all and I will do the same," Brownlee said.(JT)-