‘Inexperience’ proves costly for Bay Area Dragons in PBA Commissioner’s Cup Game 3 defeat to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
- Justin Brownlee dominates with game-high 32 points as Ginebra overhaul 14-point deficit in Manila
- Hostile crowd of 15,000 takes Dragons by surprise, while concern grows over Andrew Nicholson’s fitness
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The Bay Area Dragons squandered a 14-point lead in a 89-82 Game 3 upset in the Philippines Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup finals on Wednesday night.
Defeat at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila leaves the Chinese franchise trailing Barangay Ginebra San Miguel 2-1 going into Game 4 of the best-of-seven-series on Friday.
The league-leading Dragons, who came into the finals with a 10-2 regular season record, led for much of the game, and turned a 37-35 half-time advantage into a 14-point cushion with about two minutes to go in the third quarter.
But their opponents, roared on by a raucous home crowd of 15,000, had other ideas.
American import Justin Brownlee, who dominated with a game-high 32 points, capped a mini 7-0 run to tie the game at 79-apiece for the Philippines team with less than three minutes remaining.
Ginebra then used another 10-3 run to seal the comeback win, with Brownlee’s 19 points matching the entire Dragons team in the final quarter.
Hong Kong basketball star Glen Yang, who finished with 11 points and six assists, cited “fatigue and inexperience” in the Dragons’ surprising loss.
“We missed open looks and took some rushed shots and we turned the ball over far too often,” Yang said.
“That environment was extremely intense, and the most passionate fans most of us have seen before, but it was what every basketball player dreams of playing in. The only thing was the entire crowd was against us.”
With the Dragons out-rebounded, despite Canadian import Andrew Nicholson grabbing a game-high 24 boards and recording 20 turnovers, compared to Ginebra’s eight, Duncan Reid said his team would have to make some “offensive adjustments” in the next game.
“Ginebra’s full-court press was successful in causing some turnovers and as a team, we rushed some of our remaining possessions,” said Hong Kong’s Reid, who has been limited to just 13 minutes over the first three games.
Any adjustments will have to come fast. Ex-Canada international Nicholson exited the game in the final minute with an apparent twisted ankle.
The 33-year-old, who has been the Dragons’ top scorer and rebounder averaging 26.6 points and 17 boards in the finals, had to be carried off the court and he appeared to be in some pain.
But Yang remained confident that his side’s up-tempo approach would ultimately pay dividends.
“We were able to play our game for periods [in Game 3] but we could not sustain it,” the point guard said. “We need to clean up our offence when they denied Andrew, and continue to rebound and defend.”
Nicholson was taken to a nearby hospital in Pasay City after the game, and the Dragons are monitoring his situation, although it could be Friday before they know whether he can play any part in Game 4.
