PAUL Lee grew up in Tondo, Manila and his game was honed and toughened by playing in some of the toughest neighborhoods in the country.
"Grabe lang talaga yung passion at competitiveness namin," the Magnolia guard told The Prospects Pod. "Pag sinabi mong pustahan talaga sa Maynila, kahit ice tubig lang yung pustahan sa amin talagang bugbugan na talaga eh."
Lee is the most prominent player to emerge from Tondo in his generation, carrying on a proud line of players that also included the great Charlie Badion, bad boy Rogelio 'Tembong' Melencio, Joy Dionisio, and Onchie dela Cruz.
The former University of the East star said it doesn't matter if it was a league match or a pick-up game or how big the bets are. Any player who dares play in Tondo's courts better be ready to be at the receiving end of cheap shots.
That's why 'ice tubig' bets are essential to any backstory about Tondo basketball.
"Sa amin dati kasi, big deal (na yung mga pustahan kasi) wala pa naman masyadong pera noon," he said. "So kapag may dalawang piso ka lang dati pambili ng ice tubig, laban na yan para lang mas ganahan maglaro yung mga kalaban mo."
"Kapag umasenso ka, Pop Cola o Coca Cola yung pustahan niyo. Bugbugan na yung laban," the 'Angas ng Tondo' added.
The PBA star said he honed his game in such games before 'graduating' into high-stakes five-a-side games funded by 'padrinos.'
"Hindi naman ganoon kalaki yung pustahan pero kasi sa Tondo, mahilig yung ibang tao dyan na kumukha ng padrino ba," Lee said. "Magbubuo sila ng team tapos dadayo sila tapos merong isang tao na pumupusta lang talaga. Eh yung pinsan ko, ang daming kakilalang ganoon, tapos sumasama ako sa kanila."
How rough were the games?
Lee remembered one match where he and his pals were the "dayo" [away team] and they couldn't even get to the paint without getting hurt.
"Tumi-three points na lang kami ng sobrang layo kasi pag nag-drive kami, fina-foul lang kami eh. So sabi namin, hindi ito matatapos," he said. "Yung naisip namin after namin matalo, pagbalik natin doon gawan natin ng rule, so sila naman yung dinaya namin. Pag nakuha ko yung bola, kahit papalapit pa lang sila sa akin, foul kaagad. Tapos kapag naka-tatlong foul ka, free throw kaagad para matapos lang kasi nagdadayaan talaga eh."
That's par for the course, Lee laughed.
"Ganoon talaga, gagawan mo ng paraan para makalamang ka at makapanalo ka. Kumbaga kapag nanalo ka, sobrang sarap sa feeling kasi lahat na ng pandaraya, ginawa na ng kalaban niyo kaya ganoon siguro yung passion sa lugar namin."
More players have since followed in Lee's footsteps, emerging from Tondo's rough-and-tumble courts to make it to the elite leagues. Among them are PBA player Roi Sumang, San Sebastian guard RK Ilagan, and Letran hero Fran Yu.
To hear it from them, nothing much has changed in Tondo since Lee's time.
"Dito kasi kapag player ka, handa kang masaktan," said Yu, who was named Finals MVP during the Knights' inspiring run to last season's NCAA championship.
Ilagan added: "Yung iba, ang tingin basagulero kami. Kahit P200 lang yung pusta dito, nag-aaway pa o patayan pa o sikuhan pa."
Yu, who lives in Sta. Cruz, said Tondo players aren't daunted by anything.
"Pangit man yung tingin sa yo, mataas kasi kami mangarap talaga kaya kahit anong mangyari, kahit masaktan, handa kami para sa pangarap namin," he said.
For Lee, these struggles help builds the characters of these players. And he hopes more players will emerge from the place. His dream is to see more Tondo players be good enough to play for the national team.
"Sobrang blessed ako kung makita ko na ganoon yung mangyayari," he said. "Sobrang happy ako kapag nangyari yun kasi tiga-Manila ako, tiga-Tondo ako, so syempre ayoko na sa akin lang huling matatapos yun eh."
Lee is more than willing to help.
"Nandito ako, willing to share yung mga pinagdaanan ko, kung paano ako nakarating sa ganitong sitwasyon. Kaya sana hindi maputol yung chain, kumbaga sa akin tapos maipasa ko sa kanila. Then pag may dumating na time na may ibang player pa na tiga-Manila, sana mapasa din nila at ma-continue lang.
"Kung kaya naman ng ibang tao sa ibang lugar, bakit sa Tondo, hindi pwede?"
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