MONTALBAN – Paul Lee felt good upon releasing the ball from the four-point arc in what could have been a possible game-tying shot for Magnolia against reigning PBA 50th Season Philippine Cup champion San Miguel.
Unfortunately, the ball spun out of the rim, eventually leading to the Hotshots dropping a close 94-92 loss against the Beermen in their marquee matchup Friday night at the Ynares Center here.
READ: Don Trollano rescues San Miguel in the face of Magnolia comeback
“Kitang-kita ko, diretso na. I just wasn’t expecting na ganun yung mangyayari. Umikot talaga (yung bola),” said Lee of that crucial play in the final 24 seconds and Magnolia trailing, 88-92.
“Hindi naman lahat papabor sa iyo kung minsan. You got to live with that, open naman and a well-executed play. No regrets.”
Lee finished with five points, four rebounds, and four assists in close to 16 minutes of play in Magnolia’s second loss in six outings.
He was actually on the bench when he got sent back in by coach LA Tenorio late in the game following Mark Barroca's sixth personal foul.
Coming off a timeout, Lee took the shot that was designed for him by his former Gilas Pilipinas teammate.
“Hindi na bago sa akin yung play. Alam ko na,” he said, adding the Hotshots had already ran the play a couple of times. “Pero siyempre, depende na lang kung ano yung kailangang i-shoot.”
Close but no cigar for Magnolia
Despite the missed opportunity, Magnolia still found the door open to the game after Cjay Perez missed two free throws with five seconds left and the Hotshots just down by two.
But without the benefit of a timeout, they failed to execute a game-winning play, allowing SMB to escape with its fourth straight win for a 4-2 standing.
Taking the cue from his coach, Lee said there’s no time to ponder on the loss, as the team will be back on the court 48 hours later to face league-leading TNT.
“For me, just keep on trying. Bounce back. Sabi niya (Tenorio) move on from this game, as we have a game on Sunday. It’s gonna be a big game against a champion team,” said the veteran guard.
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