FILE–Justin Brownlee of the Philippine males’s basketball staff in motion through the nineteenth Asian Video games 2023 Males’s Basketball Preliminary Spherical Group C match between Philippines and Bahrain on the Hangzhou Olympic Sports activities Centre Gymnasium. (Photograph by Luis Veniegra / SOPA Pictures/Sipa USA)
MANILA, Philippines–Gilas Pilipinas ace Justin Brownlee arrived to a hero’s welcome at Ninoy Aquino Worldwide Airport early Sunday morning nonetheless awestruck over the staff’s golden run within the nineteenth Asian Video games.
“It feels nice to be again dwelling and produce again gold for the followers and for the individuals right here within the Philippines to see,” Brownlee informed reporters.
“Man, I nonetheless can’t imagine it to be sincere. It’s such a surreal second,” mentioned the naturalized ahead, on whose shoulders a swiftly assembled nationwide staff stood to ship its first Asiad basketball gold shortly.
Brownlee was regular for Tim Cone and a crew that featured Ange Kouame and a bevy of standouts from the Philippine Basketball Affiliation. He performed his most interesting towards China, the place he erupted for 33 factors to stun the host and organize a rematch towards Jordan for the highest prize.
A resident import for Cone’s Barangay Ginebra, the do-it-all ahead has additionally delivered unforgettable moments for his PBA membership, the nationwide staff on the 2 closing Fiba home windows earlier this yr, and within the Southeast Asian Video games staged in Cambodia.
However this current feat in Hangzhou “bought to be up there on the high.”
“Regardless of the whole lot with (this system’s) historical past, 60 some years, and 30 years attempting to get to a medal match. It’s undoubtedly on the market. It was an eight-year drought for Ginebra however 61 years? Man, that’s particular,” he mentioned.
Justin Brownlee and Gilas Pilipinas rejoice victory after the Basketball – Males’s Semi-final match between Philippines and China on day 11 of the nineteenth Asian Video games at Hangzhou Olympic Sports activities Centre Gymnasium on October 4, 2023 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province of China. (Photograph by CHINASPORTS/VCG )
So particular that he deserves to have a statue in his likeness constructed?
“Man, that will be unbelievable,” he mentioned with a chuckle. “I by no means dreamed of getting a statue wherever on this planet. However that will be a dream come true. A really particular factor.”
“I don’t know the way I’ll really feel or how I’ll even react, however I’ll undoubtedly be speechless and left amazed.”
From being a brief import for the Gin Kings to changing into a legendary determine within the nationwide staff’s historical past ebook would possibly simply flip that concept right into a actuality.
However Brownlee has by no means been about that type of validation.
“Like I mentioned, I’m nonetheless shocked. It feels so surreal. I can’t imagine that I’m standing earlier than you guys speaking a couple of gold medal,” he mentioned.
“, again in my first time coming to the Philippines—these tales from Sol (Mercado), even another guys like LA (Tenorio) who discuss [anecdotes of my laughable beginnings] as effectively—it’s all superb. However being right here, on this place at the moment is such a surreal second.”
Your subscription couldn’t be saved. Please strive once more.
Your subscription has been profitable.
“However you already know, I simply bought to maintain working and preserve getting higher. That’s what I’ve been attempting to do from Day 1 coming to the Philippines,” Brownlee mentioned with a smile.
