MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone is glad to see the Gin Kings’ locals come out of the big shadow of their super-import Justin Brownlee.

After collaring four titles with their resident reinforcement, Cone’s charges showed they could also win on their own by ruling the prestigious PBA Philippine Cup in the recent bubble in Clark.

“It’s a big advantage when we have him,” Cone said of the ever-reliable Brownlee during the recent Power and Play program on Radyo Singko.

“We have the tendency to go to him in all the big moments so for LA (Tenorio), Stanley (Pringle), Scottie (Thompson), Japeth (Aguilar) to step up on those moments, it was really amazing to watch,” he added.

Finals MVP Tenorio, Best Player of the Conference candidate Pringle, newly-developed outside sniper Thompson, and the vastly-improved Aguilar took turns in making big plays in the clutch especially in the playoffs.

They assumed the “closer” role that Brownlee played to perfection in their three Governors’ Cup conquests (2016, 2017 and 2019) and their triumph in the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup.

Cone, who’s now the winningest coach in Ginebra’s franchise history with five overall, stressed this was one of their most “team-oriented” championship run.

“In the finals we had different Players of the Game and Scottie didn’t get any but he had his big shots all the way through and Stanley is Stanley. So it was really a team-oriented win. It wasn’t just carried by one guy. We used to be carried by Justin Brownlee,” he said.

Now that they’re finally the Alpha team in the All-Filipino, will the Gin Kings start a dynasty just like their predecessor, five-peat champ San Miguel?

“I think June Mar will have something to say in the next conference,” Cone said of SMB ace Fajardo, who was sidelined by a shin injury this season but is expected to return in 2021.

“We’ll take it while we can and hopefully we’ll get Greg (Slaughter) back at some point and June Mar will come back and we’ll be able to battle them toe-to-toe,” he added.