Justin Patton shines under pressure, carries San Miguel to gritty win over Ginebra

Easter Sunday clash between the San Miguel Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel was never just about standings in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup—it became a personal proving ground.

Justin Patton made sure his answer was loud enough. In only his second game since taking over import duties, Patton delivered 19 points and 17 rebounds, anchoring San Miguel to a narrow 85-82 victory.

But his biggest contribution went beyond the stat sheet—he took on the responsibility of guarding one of the league’s most feared players, Justin Brownlee.

“I want to guard him. It’s a challenge. I’m out here, 7,000 miles away from home. I didn’t come here for no reason. I want to challenge myself. I want to be great every single day I wake up,” Patton said.

“They say he is the better Justin so I want to see. I see that he had a good game today but we came with the ‘W.’ That’s all that matters,” the former NBA player added.

Brownlee, as expected, delivered his usual game. He poured in 31 points, including a late surge in the fourth quarter that nearly turned the tide. Yet, the night exposed rare cracks—missed free throws in crunch time and limited presence on the boards, finishing with just three rebounds.

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Justin Patton said facing Justin Brownlee was a tough but enjoyable challenge, praising the veteran’s ability to control the game and pick his spots. l Via Zeus Valdez#FastBreak #JustinPatton #JustinBrownlee #SanMiguelBeermen #BarangayGinebra pic.twitter.com/gSUDCIj11o

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San Miguel head coach Leo Austria revealed that Patton’s defensive assignment wasn’t originally set in stone.

“Actually, before the game, Justin Patton asked us if he can guard Brownlee but we were hesitant because we know Brownlee is really good whenever his guard is bigger than him. He can shoot from the perimeter, he can outrun him, he can drive, and that’s what happened,” Austria said.

“But that’s not our only game plan. We also have a smaller guy. At the start, it was [Marcio] Lassiter and they took advantage of it. The next was Justin Patton, Mo Tautuaa, and Cahilig especially in the second quarter. We were able to limit his production at that time, but still, Brownlee is Brownlee. He was able to score 31 but the good thing was he wasn’t able to get rebounds. He only got three,’’ he added.

For San Miguel, the victory was as much about identity as it was about execution. Still adjusting after an import switch, the Beermen showed they can win gritty and defensive battles.

Now sitting at 3-2, they continue their climb up the standings, with momentum slowly building.

“Every game presents a new challenge. You’ve got Justin Brownlee. We are a team that fight and we figure it out and that’s what we did today,” said Patton.

Meanwhile, Ginebra is left to regroup after a loss that felt within reach. Despite Brownlee’s heroics, the big man couldn’t close, highlighting the fine margins that separate contenders in this stage of the conference.

San Miguel looks to carry its surge into its next assignment against Rain or Shine on April 8 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, while Ginebra faces Magnolia on April 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

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