On the cusp of a title

Magnolia’s Mark Barroca drives past Alaska’s Kevin Racal in their game Friday night. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ

It came a game late, but Paul Lee’s valedictory speech of a performance got Magnolia back in the groove and put the PBA Governors’ Cup title within reach of the Hotshots.

Lee literally did everything in the waning seconds of Game 5 on Friday night—including shedding tears of joy on center court—after leading Magnolia to a 79-78 victory over Alaska at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao and a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven title series.

Struggling the entire Finals, Lee knocked down the marginal corner jumper with 1.3 seconds left that capped a string of heroic plays inside the last 30 seconds for the Hotshots, who also snapped a two-game losing streak and can close it all out on Wednesday when play goes to Ynares Center in Antipolo.

And Lee, who was named the Best Player of the Conference a game ago where he played sloppily, was emotional on the way back to the bench after Alaska called for time to try and salvage the game.

“[It’s because] I have been struggling [offensively] the whole series,” Lee said in Filipino. “The Lord is very good. I can’t ask for anything more.”

“I am very happy but not contented,” Magnolia’s Chito Victolero said. “We have to stay humble.”

Game 5 was played in spurts with both teams falling to droughts, and Magnolia survived a long spell in the third quarter that had the Hotshots losing a 13-point halftime lead.

After opening up a 74-66 lead with 4:55 left and looking like clear winners, the Hotshots fell into another scoring drought because of the unforgiving Alaska defense as the Aces came roaring back to take a 76-74 advantage going into the final 1:15 after a Kevin Racal floater.

And just when the Aces had the chance to put it away with a 3-on-1 break and Lee the only Hotshot on the defensive end, the former Rookie of the Year somehow forced the 6-foot-6 Jake Pascual to miss the layup before finding Ian Sangalang in transition for a three-point play that gave Magnolia a 77-76 lead with 18.7 left.

Mike Harris, who carried the Aces in the third quarter rally together with Simon Enciso, gave Alaska the lead for the last time at 78-77 with two free throws off Rafi Reavis.

“What a basketball game,” Alaska coach Alex Compton said. “They beat us to loose balls and that is something that cannot happen. Had we gotten to some of those loose balls, we could have won that game.”