Scottie Thompson, Justin Brownlee feted Best Player and Best Import plums

Barangay Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson and Justin Brownlee romped away with the top individual honors in the Season 47 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Digos City-born Thompson, crowned Season 46 Most Valuable Player, clinched the Davco-Best Player of the Conference plum while Brownlee captured the Bobby Parks’ coins.ph-Best Import awardee.

Both received their awards before Game 4 of the best-of-seven finals at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena on Friday, January 6.

Thompson and Brownlee also swept the Season 46 Governors’ Cup awards in April 2022.

Barangay Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson and Justin Brownlee hoist their awards having been hailed as Season 47 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Best Blayer of the Conference and Best Import, respectively. PBA PHOTO

Thompson amassed 917 total points (459 statistical points, 409 media votes, 49 player votes). He averages 11.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.67 steals, besting teammate Jamie Malonzo (673), NorthPort’s Robert Bolick (558), San Miguel Beer’s CJ Perez (452), and NLEX’ Don Trollano (417) for the prestigious title.

It was Thompson’s second BPC award in three conferences after an impressive stint in leading Barangay Ginebra to the championship series of the 2022-2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

The feat elevated him in the same league as Kenneth Duremdes, Nelson Asaytono, Jerry Codinera, Calvin Abueva, Jayjay Helterbrand, Willie Miller, Arwind Santos, Danny Seigle, and Jay Washington who each owned two BPC awards since the title was launched in 1994.

Thompson said, “Yung pagka-award ang sarap sa pakiramdam. Pero mixed emotions kasi the main goal is to win the championship (Being awarded is a good feeling. But mixed emotions because the main goal is to win the championship).”

He said winning an individual achievement is great but it would be even better to also capture the championship.

“Ayun, panandaliang sarap lang ito. Moved on na ulit (Well, it’s just a temporary pleasure. Moved on again),” he said.

Meanwhile, Brownlee garnered 1,289 total points to annex his third Best Import title.

Brownlee, who will soon become a Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player, averaged 28 points, 10.2 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.7 blocks. He outclassed rivals Magnolia import Nicholas Rakocevic (940) and SMB’s Devon Scott (788).

Just like Thompson, Brownlee also wants to see Barangay Ginebra crowned Commissioner’s Cup champions, after losing Game 4 to the Bay Area Dragons.

Fortunately, the Gin Kings came back strong in Game 5, dismantling the Dragons, 101-91.

“We just wanted to come out and be aggressive. We wanted to get this game so that we’d need just one more to win the series,” Brownlee said.

Brownlee jumped to first place in the statistical points in the semifinals after trailing Earl Clark of NLEX and Quincy Miller of Converge.

The Ginebra import averaged 27.7 markers, 9.5 boards, six assists, 2.8 blocks, and 1.5 steals in the quarterfinals and semifinals having ousted the NorthPort and Magnolia, respectively.

Rakocevic, for his part, averaged 21.7 points, 17 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.7. He helped Magnolia Hotshots eliminate the Phoenix Fuel Masters in the quarterfinals, only to fall at the hands of Brownlee and the Gin Kings.