Player of the Week: Paul Lee shows all-around game for Star
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After struggling to get his game going in Star’s first two games this season, Paul Lee managed to regain his old, deadly form after leading the Hotshots to back-to-back lopsided wins, earning him the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week.
The six-foot Lee shook off his shooting woes last Wednesday when he knocked down four triples en route to finishing with 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds as Star clobbered NLEX, 99-75.
The victory was Star’s first after opening the Philippine Cup at 0-2, handed new coach Chito Victolero his first win, while Lee also had the last laugh in his first face off with his former mentor Yeng Guiao, now NLEX’s coach.
Three days later, Lee fired 18 points, issued four assists and added three boards as he helped trigger Star’s vicious first-half offensive on the way to a 44-point demolition of Phoenix, 123-79 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 PBA Draft went on to average all-around numbers of 19 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists to capture the Player of the Week citation, beating the likes of freshman Star teammate Jio Jalalon, guard Mark Barroca and wingman Allen Maliksi, Meralco rookie Ed Daquioag and sophomore Chris Newsome, Alaska forward Calvin Abueva, San Miguel’s Arwind Santos and June Mar Fajardo, Rain or Shine’s James Yap and Raymund Almazan as well as GlobalPort’s Terrence Romeo.
Lee’s rejuvenated game is a fitting preparation as Star is set to face his former team Rain or Shine for the first time this season on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. (RD)
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