Lee lifts Magnolia to victory over TNT

Paul Lee came off the bench for 25 points to lead the Magnolia Hotshots to a 111-89 victory over the TNT KaTropa in the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday night. 

Lee had plenty of help, with Justin Jackson leading the supporting cast with 18 points, 19 rebounds, and seven assists. Rodney Brondial was also a surprise with 16 markers, while Jio Jalalon tallied 13. Aldrech Ramos and Mark Barroca scored nine apiece as starters.

TNT held a seven-point lead midway through the third, before Magnolia went on a five-point swing to tie the game at 64-all. Another 7-0 spurt pushed the Hotshots ahead by seven, as the KaTropa struggled to equalize to stay behind 79-73 heading into the final frame.

Magnolia was determined to put the game away early, igniting another 8-1 run to start the fourth for a 13-point lead. The Hotshots went up by as many as 23 points at the 6:42 mark, refusing to relinquish the lead all the way to the final buzzer.

Terrence Romeo and RR Pogoy paced TNT off the bench with 17 and 16 points, respectively, as the KaTropa starters struggled. Only import Josh Smith scored in double digits with 12, as Jayson Castro and Ryan Reyes were limited to nine points each. Castro, in particular, had a 1 of 7 shooting clip, while Kelly Williams and Jericho Cruz combined for just 10 points.

With the win, Magnolia improved to fifth place at 4-4, tying GlobalPort. TNT slid to solo third at 6-2, right behind Rain or Shine (7-1) and Alaska (6-1). — RSJ, GMA News