NO BACKING DOWN
Paul Lee may be banged up again in the PBA Governors’ Cup, but that won’t stop the Rain or Shine combo guard from leading the Elasto Painters’ championship bid in the season-ending conference.
Lee averaged 16.0 points and and 5.5 rebounds in Rain or Shine’s two crucial wins over KIA Carnival and Meralco last week to help his team secure a Top Four spot in the playoffs.
The guard out of University of the East overcame dizziness after getting elbowed in the mouth late in the fourth quarter by pouring 20 points against KIA. He knocked down eight straight free throws in that critical stretch to preserve Rain or Shine’s 94-90 win.
Coach Yeng Guiao admitted Lee has been the subject of rough plays by opposing defenders, but his prized shooting guard is not the type of player who will back down.
“He’s (Lee) a tough guy. He will keep attacking the basket even if he knows he’ll get fouled hard,” Guiao said, in commending the the six-foot guard from Tondo, Manila.
Four days after the KIA game, Lee flirted with a near double-double of 12 points and seven rebounds, conniving with import Wendell McKines as Rain or Shine pulled off a 96-89 win over Meralco.
Rain or Shine closed out the single-round eliminations with six straight victories en route to a 7-4 record overall, while capturing one of four twice-to-beat incentives in the process.
Lee’s gutsy effort earned him the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period of June 15-21.
Guiao hopes they will be able to sustain their pace come the quarterfinals, where as third seed, Rain or Shine will face the still to be determined no. 6 ranked squad. (RD)
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