MANILA, Philippines – Only a few strangers get to play with their favorite PBA idols, much more if the pro basketball player is an import.
Among those lucky few was Ryce Cañete Aguirre, who got to share the court, although a makeshift one, with Barangay Ginebra and Alab Pilipinas import Justin Brownlee.
Brownlee, during a chat with reporters following Ginebra's 100-92 triple overtime win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Friday, March 2, shared that he, together with Alab teammates Lawrence Domingo and Josh Urbiztondo, passed by a group of teenagers playing pickup basketball and decided to join in.
"I just saw a couple of kids, young guys playing. They seem like they were enjoying basketball and I just rolled down my window, 'Hey you want to play me one-on-one?' and one of the kids was like, 'Yeah, come on,'" Brownlee narrated.
"I think they don't know who's in the car but when we got out, they figured out who we was."
On Aguirre's Facebook post that has now gone viral, the 29-year-old American looked like he dominated Aguirre, throwing down thunderous jams to the satisfaction of their spectators. But Brownlee admitted his opponent was no pushover.
Aguirre, despite wearing just a slipper, was able to drain a tough jumper over Brownlee.
"Actually, the score was 3-2. He almost beat me. The kid, he got some game. He was crossing me up a little bit but they didn't get the whole thing on camera so lucky me, huh?" said Brownlee.
If given a chance, Brownlee said he might challenge Aguirre again.
"I might go back over there and play with him again. The kid was fine."
Brownlee and Alab Pilipinas will fly to Malaysia to face the Westports Malaysia Dragons on Sunday, March 4, in the ASEAN Basketball League. – Rappler.com