MAGNOLIA got an additional boost to its playoff bid in the PBA Philippine Cup.
The Hotshots reactivated injured guard Paul Lee and will team up for the first time with playing-coach LA Tenorio in the PBA as the team tries to stay alive in its quarterfinals series against TNT Tropang 5G.
Lee, who missed Magnolia’s final game in the eliminations due to a hamstring injury, made it back to the active roster in lieu of rookie guard Gab Gomez.
The Saturday game against TNT marks the first time Lee will be playing alongside Tenorio, his former Gilas Pilipinas teammate, who took his roster spot in the team following the injury he sustained in the Hotshots’ match against Rain or Shine in Bahrain.
But another guard in Jerom Lastimosa remains in the injury list as he’s still recovering from a grade two ankle sprain which he also suffered in the same game.
Rookie forward Yukien Andrada will also be playing his first game with Lee around.
Despite Tenorio and Andrada taking on the roster spots of Lee and Lastimosa, Magnolia still lost to TNT, 94-83, a loss which relegated the team at sixth spot and a win-twice disadvantage against the same team.
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Tenorio, who suited up in his first game as Magnolia playing-coach in the TNT loss, remained unperturbed with the Hotshots’ situation.
“We just have to be prepared,” was Tenorio’s curt reply.
Magnolia will try to extend the series to a winner-take-all game with a win on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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