Paul Lee made his highly-anticipated debut with the Star Hotshots during the opening day of the 2016 PBA All Filipino Cup.
However, even if he impressed, it was a debut he would rather forget as the Star Hotshots only mustered nine fourth-quarter points, leading to a 88-96 loss at the hands of the San Miguel Beermen.
The 27-year-old gunslinger, who had played for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in his first six years with the league, admitted that he felt like a rookie when he entered the historic Smart-Araneta Coliseum, Sunday afternoon.
“Excited siyempre, parang rookie ulit eh, parang ganun ang feeling ko,” he shared.
By the third quarter of the game, the “Angas of Tondo” had already tallied 12 markers, scoring 10 points in the third frame. To add to his scoring total, he gobbled up 10 boards but also committed nine of Star’s 30 turnovers — majority coming in the final frame.
“Turnovers, that’s it. So many turnovers,” he rued, though he was quick to dismiss what had happened, admitting that it was part of the growing pains of adjusting to a new team and a new coach in Chito Victolero. “Madaling i-adjust yun kasi nakita ko naman kung paano maglaro ang team, so kailangan ko pa rin mag-adjust,” he added.
“Siguro, and siguro nagmamadali kami lahat kasi nga siguro excited kami lahat, new system, new coach, bago rin ako sa team. Parang lahat kami, gusto kaagad knockout punch eh. ‘Yun nga, sabi ni coach, madaling ayusin yung mga pagkakamali namin kanina. Kung na-limit lang namin, baka sakaling iba yung istorya ng game.”
The 6-foot guard vows to remain patient as the process continues.
“Nakuha ko naman ang rhythm ko, so next time na makapag-adjust. Hindi naman makikita sa one game lang yun,” he said.
“Yung patience ko nandun naman, yung patience ng buong team at ni coach Chito [Victolero], andun din, so yun ang importante para sa akin.”
