It was the only space Paul Lee had all night long.
He made Phoenix Super LPG pay dearly for it.
Like what he’s done in the past, the star gunner delivered a crucial trey from way out to help Magnolia overcome its fellow defensive-minded team and, more importantly, take Game 2 of the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup semis.
With the shot clock about to expire, Lee sank a triple near the logo with 55.4 seconds left, capping off a decisive 10-0 run that gave his Hotshots the lead for good, 81-76, to eventually move a win away from the Finals.
“Only open shot na nagkaroon ako,” the veteran guard, who finished with six points, said moments after the 82-78 victory at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay. “And yun lang yung opportunity ko na na-open ako buong game.
“The whole game, yung defense nila sa akin, naka-front lang, pinapabayaan lang nila maglaro, mag 4-on-4 lang sila. Tinake advantage ko lang. Wala na rin namang oras, kailangan ko na rin talaga itira. Luckily, pumasok.”
Lee celebrated that shot and that also was a big sigh of relief for his part. Prior to that long trey, he was held by the Fuel Masters’ defense to a dismal 1-of-8 shooting from the field, including 1-of-5 from beyond the arc.
But as proven in the past, his confidence would never waver. And he vowed to keep working on that shot every day, for the two-time league champion knows that such an opportunity could arise anytime soon.
“Shooter mentality lang,” he said. “Kung malas ka, kung sablay ‘yung tinira mo, focus on the next shots. Kumbaga hindi naman doon natatapos ‘yun. Kung hindi ko man na-shoot yun, go back again sa gym tomorrow, practice ulit.
“And, ready for the next one. I need to move forward. Na-shoot ko nga, ngayon, tomorrow, routine ulit kasi nga hindi mo alam kailan darating yung opportunity na ganoon. I just need to be ready sa mga ganoong klase ng opportunity.”
Thanks to him, Magnolia has moved on the verge of its first Finals trip since the 2021 Philippine Cup in Bacolor. Lee is hoping to return, of course, but it’s not lost on him that there’s still a Game 3 on Sunday to be played.
“‘Yun ‘yung pinakamahirap na game sa lahat ng series, yung pag-close out ng series. Mahirap din kalaban yung team na back against the wall. Syempre ibibigay na nilang lahat. ‘Yung energy nila, nandiyan lahat yan,” he said.
“Hopefully, hopefully, makuha namin sa Sunday. ‘Yun ‘yung pinamakahirap na game. Kailangan ready lang kami. I think different Phoenix yung maglalaro sa Sunday,” Lee added.
“Gagawin talaga niyan lahat.”
