The veteran mentor even wrote it on the whiteboard.
Justin Brownlee can do a lot of things.
Getting nervous for a debut game is not one of them.
The do-it-all forward made his much-anticipated maiden stint for Gilas Pilipinas on Friday against Lebanon in the sixth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
One would think that Brownlee, despite being a six-time PBA champion and three-time PBA Best Import, would feel the jitters, at least in the first few minutes. Especially since playing for the country, where basketball feels like the fourth branch of the government, always comes with immense pressure.
But apparently, there was no need to be anxious—and coach Chot Reyes had a huge hand in it.
“Coach told me to be aggressive and I want to get the team off to a good start. Being one of the older guys and one of the leaders, I feel like it was important to be aggressive right off the jump. Coach put it on the board, so a lot of credit to him,” said Brownlee after their 107-96 win.
Clearly, Reyes' reminder didn't fall on deaf ears. It didn’t take long for the 34-year-old Brownlee to get going, marking his debut for Gilas Pilipinas with back-to-back buckets. He finished with 17 points, four rebounds, five assists, and two steals in another magical showing to help the national team extend its winning streak to four games.
To recall, Reyes was heavily jeered by fans in the last window of the tournament following their poor performances. But Jordan Clarkson and Dwight Ramos defended the veteran tactician, stressing that the vitriol was unwarranted. Now, with Brownlee expressing his admiration as well, it could be seen as another sense of vindication for the polarizing Reyes.
Besides, nothing thrills Brownlee more when the entire nation is rooting for them.
“Filipino fans, they really appreciate basketball. That’s what I really appreciate as well,” said Brownlee.