PAUL Lee didn’t want his excitement over his bubble debut go to waste.
Lee capped Magnolia’s comeback from 22-points down with a four-point play with 32.5 seconds left, giving the Hotshots a dramatic 103-100 victory over NLEX on Wednesday night in the PBA Philippine Cup bubble at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena and Cultural Center.
Seen in Jackson Corpuz’s Instagram post all dressed up for the game about seven hours before tip-off, Lee delivered the game-winning shot for the Hotshots with a three-point shot from the top of the key and a free throw on Anthony Semerad's last foul that wiped out a 100-97 NLEX lead.
Kiefer Ravena led NLEX with 27 points and kept the Road Warriors' heads above water with some big baskets and clutch plays in the endgame.
But the Gilas Pilipinas guard saw a jumper rim out in the next possession and, after two Mark Barroca free throws extended the Hotshots' lead to three at 103-100, missed a potential game-tying three-point attempt at the buzzer.
The Hotshots fell behind, 70-48, but got themselves back in the game behind a full-court press led by speedsters Jio Jalalon, Mark Barroca, and Chris Banchero.
“It was a total team effort – the energy and the aggressiveness,” said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero. “’Yun ang sabi ko sa halftime. Kung hindi kami maglalaro nung game namin, aabutin siguro ng kuwarenta ‘yung lamang.”
According to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon, Magnolia’s 22-point was its biggest in 15 years, or since Purefoods, led by Marquin Chandler overcame a 29-point deficit to beat Alaska in overtime, 86-84, in the 2005-06 Fiesta Conference.
The Hotshots finally took the lead on back-to-back baskets by Barroca, 82-80, then held a 95-89 advantage with four minutes left in the match.
But the Road Warriors were far from finished.
NLEX regained the lead thanks to Ravena, who drained a turnaround jumper with 1:17 left, 99-97. Mike Ayonayon hit a free throw to make it a three-point lead, only for Lee to torment the team as well as his former coach Yeng Guiao in the endgame.
Banchero and Jalalon scored 19 points each for the Hotshots. Lee added 18 while Barroca tallied 13 points.
“’Yung guards namin, grabe ‘yung energy na binigay nila,” said Victolero.
Alas backed up Ravena with 18 points, but he and JR Quinahan fouled out in the fourth quarter for NLEX.
The scores:
Magnolia 103 – Jalalon 19, Banchero 19, Lee 18, Barroca 13, Corpuz 9, Sangalang 9, Dionisio 8, Reavis 4, Dela Rosa 4, Melton 0, Calisaan 0.
NLEX 100 – Ravena 27, Alas 18, Cruz 17, Quinahan 16, Porter 5, Ayonayon 5, Semerad 5, Soyud 4, Ighalo 3, Miranda 0, Varilla 0, Galanza 0, Taulava 0.
Quarters: 23-23; 39-50; 70-78; 103-100.
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