Brownlee always high on Gilas duty

MANILA, Philippines — His 38-year-old body still aches from the gruelling PBA Commissioner’s Cup title series but Justin Brownlee is all game for another tough grind with Gilas Pilipinas.

“It’s always an honor to represent the country and put on the Gilas jersey. No matter how I’m feeling, I always find the energy,” said Brownlee as he spearheads the Nationals in their coming road outings in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers against powerhouses New Zealand and Australia.

The four-time PBA Best Import is serving national duties barely a week after doing a heavy lifting in Barangay Ginebra’s 4-3 victory over old champion TNT.

Brownlee played for an average of 45 minutes and nine seconds in that blockbuster title rematch. He logged 51:29 in an epic Game 5 that needed an extra period to settle, banging in a career-high 54 as he led his team to a 100-95 win and a 3-2 lead. He saw action for 47:39 the following game, scoring 52 in a losing cause, then played for 47:38 in a 30-point outing in the Game 7 clincher.

“It (Gilas duty) is a great opportunity so if I’m hurting, if I’m feeling ill or whatever it is, I just want to be able to take advantage of the opportunity and just do my best. So I’m feeling good,” he said.