The swagger in Paul Lee – which earned him the moniker ‘Angas ng Tondo’ – was in full display again in a Honda PBA Philippine Cup game, Sunday, where the stakes were high between two title-contending teams.
The Tondo-born guard erupted for 18 big points in the fourth quarter in spearheading Magnolia’s huge 100-90 win over San Miguel Beer. That gave the Hotshots a crack at clinching the remaining twice-to-beat advantage at stake in the coming playoffs.
In all, the 32-year-old Lee torched the Beermen for 32 points, spiked by a 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, four rebounds, and five assists. He helped his team end its elimination round campaign on a high note after winning back-to-back games at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym.
Magnolia finished the eliminations with an 8-3 record, currently in solo third place. Still, it is in a good position to notch the no. 2 seeding entering the quarterfinals.
The output is the fifth career 30-point game of Lee as per PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III. Meanwhile, his 18 points in the fourth period are the most scored in a quarter by a player this season.
Lee answering the call for Magnolia earned him the nod as the Cignal-Play PBA Press Corps Player of the Week honor for the period Sept. 15 to 19.
The Magnolia guard out of University of the East edged TNT Tropang Giga rookie Mikey Williams in close voting for the weekly award handed out by the men and women regularly covering the PBA beat.
Others who were considered for the honor include the Meralco trio of Allein Maliksi, Raymond Almazan and Bong Quinto; Lee’s Magnolia teammate Ian Sangalang; and veteran NLEX big man JR Quinahan.
Lee said he’s just getting started again after being slowed down by a minor hamstring injury earlier in Magnolia’s campaign.
“Gusto ko lang mabalik ‘yung tamang kundisyon ko. Simula kasi nung na-injury ako, parang naging roller-coaster ‘yung laro ko. May araw na sobrang bigat ng pakiramdam ko,” he said.
“Kumapit lang ako. I continued to work hard para mabalik ko yung kundisyon ko talaga.”
