Paul Lee shows 'shooter mentality' in clutch trey for Magnolia

In Magnolia's Game 2 win over Phoenix on Friday, Paul Lee only had a single field goal before crunch time.

With the game down to its last minute, Lee drilled a triple from the Mall of Asia Arena logo on the court which proved to be the dagger en route to the Hotshots's 2-0 lead in the best-of-five semis series. 

Lee gave Magnolia an 81-76 lead at the 0:55 mark before Phoenix import Johnathan Williams cut the Fuel Masters' deficit to three with a layup at the 0:09 mark. A free throw from Mark Barroca sealed the deal then for the Hotshots.

"All I need is an open look and just need to be ready kasi hindi mo alam kung kailangan darating 'yung ganoong klase ng opportunity. And again, 'yung shot clock paubos na rin, so kailangan ko lang din siya itira," Lee said about the said shot.

(All I need is an open look and just need to be ready because you'll never know when those kinds of opportunity come. Again, the shot clock was expiring, so I really needed to take the shot.)

While it seemed that he had an off night as he was limited to only six points, Lee said the shot just showed his mentality of being a shooter.

"Kung maging sharp ako everyday, gagawin ko siya. Shooter mentality lang. Kung malas ka, kung sablay 'yung tinira mo, focus on the next shots. Kumbaga hindi naman doon natatapos 'yun. Kung hindi ko man na-shoot 'yun, go back again sa gym tomorrow, practice ulit, and ready for the next one," he said.

(If I will be sharp everyday, I'll do it. Just have a shooter's mentality. If it's not working, if shots were not falling, focus on the next shots. If I did not make it, go back again to the gym tomorrow, practice again, and be ready for the next one.)

Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero and reinforcement Tyler Bey were hardly surprised with what Lee did.

"I have known Paul for eight years now and I know he could hit any shot. He made a lot of shots in our previous games," he said. "Nasa Rain or Shine pa lang siya ganyan na siya. Ineensayo ni Paul yan. Every single day he's on the court, he will practice that shot," said Victolero.

(Even when he was with Rain or Shine, he's like that. Paul practices it.)

"I already knew it was going in. He already knows when he gets the shot, he's going to take it, he's going to make it, that's why I love him," echoed Bey.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News