All set to make the Big Leap
By Paolo Mariano
21 July 2009 11:49 AM
With National University (NU) leading University of the East (UE), 23-17, in the second quarter of their first round match-up last July 19 at the Philsports Arena, Paul Lee silently sat on the bench—frustrated and anxious.
With 6:56 remaining in the quarter, UE head coach Lawrence Chongson had enough and filled in Lee. The 6’2” wingman immediately scored UE’s next six points. He also made two deflections and delivered a nifty drop pass to Pari Llagas for an and-one conversion. At the end of the first half, the Red Warriors finally got the lead, 36-31.
In less than seven minutes, Lee singlehandedly changed the pace of the game. His halftime stats? Seven points, two rebounds, three assists, and one steal. When UE is down, Lee is called to carry the team back on top. That’s how valuable he is to the team.
Low point
Last season was an entirely different story though.
After getting strucked by dengue fever a few weeks before the opening of Season 71, Lee struggled to find his game and got inconsistent minutes under then coach Dindo Pumaren. This resulted to a dip in his performance after an impressive his rookie year. But more importantly, his sporadic stints on the court affected his once unshakable confidence.
“Frustrating talaga last season dahil hindi nakita ng mga tao kung ano ‘yung totoong Paul Lee,” said the pride of Tondo, Manila.
Although the Red Warriors still finished the season with a strong 9-5 record, they were eliminated by eventual champion Ateneo de Manila University in the Final Four. Lee ended his sophomore stint with mediocre averages of 6.8 PPG and 2.8 RPG on 14.3 minutes per game—a drop from his 8.2 PPG and 4.3 RPG numbers during his freshman year.
“’Yun na ang lowest point ng basketball career ko,” a reminiscent Lee told uaapsports.com.
Renewed confidence
The disappointing UAAP season, however, became a blessing in disguise for Lee. Instead of sulking and dwelling on the could-have-beens, the 20-year-old Management student channeled his frustrations to the Philippine Basketball League (PBL), where he played for Bacchus Energy Drink.
This is where Lee first met Chongson. The player found a new mentor and the tactician found a new superstar.
“Nabigyan ako ng magandang break ni coach (Chongson). Salamat din sa teammates ko dahil umangat ulit ang confidence ko,” said Lee.
The former San Sebastian Staglet took the league by surprise in his first ever season and was named Best Player of the Conference after putting up 15.1 PPG (league best), 3.8 APG (2nd best), and 1.6 SPG (3rd best).
So much for rookie jitters.
“Mas naging comfortable ako sa sistema ni coach dahil mas free-wheeling. Hinahayaan niya ako mag-create kaya mas naka-contribute ako,” said Lee, who idolizes Kobe Bryant.
Seeing Red
Now on his third year with the Red Warriors, Lee is considered one of the leaders of the team, along with seniors Llagas and Elmer Espiritu.
Despite the absence of sweet-shooting guard James Martinez due to an ACL injury, UE is still tagged as one of the favorites with its height and speed. Chongson likes to employ a fast-paced system and Lee is his appointed anchor of the red running attack.
“Mas mataas ang expectations sa amin ngayon,” said Lee, who lists Math as his favorite subject. “ Dapat i-involve ko lalo ang mga kakampi ko at i-guide ang mga rookie.”
Three games into the season, Lee is averaging 13.0 PPG (8th in the league), 6.3 RPG (2nd on team), and 5.3 APG (2nd in the league) on a team-high 33.0 minutes per game. These are glaring proofs that he is ready to make the big leap and lead the Red Warriors end a 23-year drought.
Lee-p of faith
Before the start of the second half versus NU, Chongson called his boys in the huddle and singled out Lee to take charge and break away from a relentless Bulldogs squad.
“Pukpok tayo! Let’s go! Dikit lang (‘yung score). Kailangan natin lumayo,” Chongson screamed.
Lee played the entire third quarter and toyed with the Bulldogs’ defense with his solid ballhandling, remarkable court vision, and astounding one-on-one moves—skills that make him one of the most feared players in the league today.
UE leaned on Lee’s stellar play and cruised to an easy 73-59 victory. He was named Best Player of the Game after putting up 14 points, six rebounds, and seven assists.
While the UE Hymn was being played by the red gallery, Lee silently stood on the court, exhausted after playing heavy minutes and doing almost everything on the floor. As he walked to the locker room, he was greeted by several UE supporters. He looked tired but fulfilled, given away by his modest smile.
Lee hardly wears a grin when he’s on the court. But this time around, he has lots of reason to smile—something he had a hard time doing last season.
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