MANILA — Paul Lee played despite an MCL injury to lead the depleted Magnolia Hotshots to a resounding 108-95 victory over the Alaska Aces in the PBA Philippine Cup on Wednesday night.
Lee, who was still recuperating from his injury, exploded for 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field. He also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out six assists to lead the Hotshots to victory in their first game of the season.
Magnolia, formerly branded as Star, had three key players in sickbay — Rafi Reavis (hip injury), Marc Pingris (kidney stones surgery), and Jio Jalalon (MCL). But despite the shallow bench, the Hotshots still proved too tough for the Aces.
Bambam Gamalinda stepped up big-time for Magnolia, scattering 15 points in the first three quarters. Rome dela Cruz and Ian Sangalang added 13 and 10 markers, respectively, while Kyle Pascual and veteran PJ Simon chipped in nine points apiece.
Rookie Robbie Herndon, who was earlier reported to be down with back spasms, also came out to play, debuting in the league with a good all-around game and finishing with nine points, seven rebounds, and one steal in almost 20 minutes.
His last basket — a difficult fall-away jumper — gave Magnolia a 105-95 lead with a minute left, dousing a ferocious Alaska comeback bid.
Calvin Abueva paced Alaska with 20 points, 15 caroms, five dimes, and one block. Vic Manuel also scored 20 points, on top of eight board. Rookie Jeron Teng debuted in the league with 16 points while Jvee Casio added 10 markers.
NLEX 119, Kia 115
In a smashing PBA debut, Kiefer Ravena led the NLEX Road Warriors to a hard-fought 119-115 victory over the much-tougher-than-expected Kia Picanto.
Ravena, the No. 2 overall pick in the recent rookie draft, nearly had a triple-double in his first game as a pro, firing a team-high 18 points on top of 12 rebounds and seven assists.
However, it was Larry Fonacier who secured the win for the Road Warriors after he completed a four-point play with about a minute left, hitting a three-pointer, drawing a foul, and nailing the bonus free throw, as NLEX took a 117-113 lead with about a minute left. Fonacier finished with 12 points.
Kia, ridiculed in the offseason for its roster of role players and bench warmers, surprised everyone when it scored 40 points in the first quarter and led by as many as 13 points in the second quarter. The Picanto were in the game up to the last minute, but a late burst from Fonacier in the dying seconds scuttled their upset hopes.
Kevin Alas shared point guard duty with Ravena, finishing with 14 points, five boards, and two assists. New recruit Michael Miranda came off the bench to also score 14 points in 25 minutes. Alex Mallari added 13 markers, Rabeh Al-Hussaini and JR Quiñahan had 12 points apiece while Juami Tiongson chipped in 11 markers.
Eric Camson led the Picanto with 24 points, including 15 in the first quarter. However, it was Jay-R Reyes, formerly from San Miguel Beer, who kept the Picanto in the game in the fourth quarter, scoring eight of his 12 points in that period.
Rashawn McCarthy, another former SMB player who was seldom used in the star-studded squad, finished second to Camson in scoring, with 14 markers. Jackson Corpuz added 13 points while Bong Galanza had 12.
Games on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017: Blackwater Elite vs. Meralco Bolts and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters vs. TNT KaTropa
