• GIN-ROS TIFF, HALL OF FAME INDUCTION USHER 37TH SEASON

Published on October 1, 2011

THE no. 2 overall pick in the recent Rookie Draft finally gets his baptism of fire in the Philippine
Basketball Association (PBA) right on opening day.

And oh, what a welcome awaits him this young freshman out of University of the East.

Paul Lee makes his Rain or Shine debut Sunday and cross paths right away with Mark Caguioa and the
Barangay Ginebra Kings in the lone game ushering the season-opening Philippine Cup.

Before the streak-shooting Lee takes to the floor of the Araneta Coliseum, the league kicks off its
37th season with a spectacular opening ceremony, whose highlights is the enshrinement of the newest
batch of PBA Hall of Famers.

Leading the inductees are four-time MVP Alvin Patrimonio, champion coach Tommy Manotoc, Freddie
Hubalde, the late Commissioner Mariano Yenko, ex-Mariwasa coach and national team mentor Tito
Eduque, Carlos ‘Bobong’ Velez, and Billy Ray Bates, the electrifying and high-flying import
guided the legendary Crispa Redmanizers to their second Grand Slam in 1983.

Bates flew in from the United States to personally attend his induction into the Hall of Fame of the
league he steered to greater heights during his stint here from 1983 to 88.

Lee is no Bates for sure, but as a former amateur star who’s a deadly scorer, many consider him as
the missing link to the Elasto Painters’ bid of making a first ever Finals stint, more so, winning
a historic championship.

His coach Yeng Guiao has definitely high-regard for him.

“Madali siyang makasunod sa sistema,” said Guiao of the former Philippine Basketball League
(PBL) MVP signed to a maximum three-year contract worth P8.7 million by the franchise.

“He’s one of those players who is not afraid to bang bodies. He can shoot, he can pass, he can
also play defense and he has good decision-making.”

But expected to make Lee’s first game as a pro a long night for him are the highly-popular Kings,
who welcome back to their fold former mentor Siot Tanguingcen.

Tanquigncen believes youth will be the biggest edge the Elasto Painters have against his team, which
he describes as one with the oldest rosters in the league.

“We’re one, if not the oldest teams in the PBA,” admitted the same man who steered Ginebra to
two championships during the 2004-05 season.

Following that stint of him with the Kings, Tanquingcen said everything has definitely change as far
as the structure of the team is concerned.

“I’ll be honest, the time is different, the players are different. The job now is much harder.
You don’t only have to come up with strategies for the game, but you also have to manage the
players.”   

The Kings go into the 6 p.m. encounter minus veteran big man Erik Menk, who is out with a calf
muscle injury.

But even without the 6-foot-6 Menk, Guiao still considers the Kings a very dangerous opponent.
 
“We might be the younger team but they (Kings) definitely have a deeper bench and have much more
experience,” said Guiao. “They are old but they are not past their prime. Pero nakahanda naman
ang mga players ko.” (GR)