'Lee-thal Weapon' carries PBA selection late versus Shanghai Sharks

With the PBA selection facing a nine-point deficit late in the game, Rain or Shine Elasto Painter Paul Lee unleashed a vintage 'Lethal Weapon' performance to carry his team to a 80-71 win over the Shanghai Sharks, Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, as part of the Philippines-China Friendship games.

In the games final three minutes, Lee scored seven points, got two steals, and dished out an assist to turn the tide for the PBA selection, which was struggling in the second half.

Beau Belga was named the Best Player of the Game as he scored 16 points and and nine rebounds on 4-of-8 shooting. He also added an array of ball fakes that baffled the unsuspecting Sharks.

[Related: Gilas Pilipinas hangs on, bests Shanghai Sharks]

The day prior, Gilas Pilipinas bested the Sharks late, 80-72, at the SM MOA Arena.

Cai Liang started the scoring with a mid-range jumper that trickled in. Arwind Santos then countered with a wide-open three to grab the lead for the PBA selection.

Two floaters from Willie Miller and Paul Lee were met by a pair of baskets from Wang Ligang for a 7-6 count in favor of the PBA selection. Jay-R Reyes then stretched the lead to four points with a triple at the 4:10 mark of the first quarter.

The Shanghai Sharks then went on a 7-0 run capped by a two-handed dunk by big man Zhang Zhaoxu for a 13-10 count in their favor. The first quarter ended with the Sharks holding a 17-11 lead.

Doug Kramer started the quarter with an under-goal stab to spark a run by the locals. A three-ball from Mike Cortez gave the PBA selection a 20-17 lead. Beau Belga sank back-to-back three's for a 28-23 score in their favor, but Zhang Chenxi converted on a long triple to inch the Sharks closer.

Kramer found Santos on the run out for the fastbreak dunk and a 34-31 lead. However, Zhang Zhouxu gave the Sharks the lead a minute later as he completed a three-point play. Kramer then got the lead back for the PBA selection as Alex Cabagnot found him wide open underneath.

A lay-up from Zhang Yuan with 13 seconds left at the half gave Shanghai a 38-36 lead heading into the break.

The Sharks quickly built a nine-point buffer at the start of the third quarter, thanks to two dunks from Zhang Zhaoxu and Zha Yi. However, KG Canaleta trimmed the Shanghai lead down to just three points with back-to-back triples. Another PBA triple, this time from Chris Tiu, sliced the Shanghai lead further, and Santos followed it up with a fast break lay-up with 1:29 left in the third for a 53-52 lead in their favor.

Zhang Zhaoxu put the Sharks back on top with a banker over Kramer. Meng Lingyuan then added a reverse lay-up for a 59-55 Shanghai lead heading into the payoff period.

The Sharks doubled their third quarter lead early in the fourth. Two free throws from Zhang Zhaoxu with 7:43 left in the game made the count 63-55 in their favor.

Santos and Reyes kept the game close for the PBA selection, trimming the Shanghai lead down to three points, but a lay-up from Lingyuan made it a five-point affair, 65-60. Zhang Zhaoxu then upped their lead to seven with two free throws.

With the game winding down, Paul Lee went to work, as he picked the pocket of Meng and turned it into a fast break lay-up. The PBA selection then completed another stop as they faced a three-point deficit with only 3:54 left in the game.

Lee then sank a long three to knot the game at 69, before getting another steal off Meng and dishing off an assist to Santos for a 71-69 lead.

After Zhang Zhaoxu tied the game at 71 with two free throws, Canaleta made a triple to give the PBA selection a three-point lead, less than two minutes left in the game. Belga then stretched their lead to five as he cleaned up after a Mike Cortez miss.

Belga added two more free throws to take the game out of Shanghai's reach, before Lee settled the final score with another two from the stripe. - AMD, GMA News



The scores:

PBA selection 80 – Belga 16, Santos 15, Lee 9, Canaleta 9, Kramer 8, Cortez 7, Tiu 7, Reyes 5, Miller 2, Hodge 2, Cabagnot 0

Shanghai Sharks 71 – Zhang 23, Lingyuan 15, Sizhang 10, Yuan Z. 7, Laing 6, Ligang 6, Yi 4, Yang G. 0, Yang Wu 0

Quarter scoring: 11-17, 36-38, 55-59, 80-71