‘Just take the best shot’ — PBA gunners feeling out new four-point line

THE PHILIPPINE Basketball Association’s (PBA) leading long-distance shooters ought to be salivating about the potential of the four-point line, but Magnolia sniper Paul Lee said the excitement the line promises should be balanced against the need to make good shot decisions.

“It makes the game more exciting,” said Magnolia sniper Paul Lee, who was the third player in history to score from the 27-foot line on Sunday, after Meralco’s Chris Banchero and Jolo Mendoza.

Mr. Lee noted how the four-point shot gave the Hotshots a crack at the go-ahead with the Bolts up by three, 97-94, going to the last 10. 3 seconds. Import Glenn Robinson III, though, missed his contested long bomb then Meralco sealed the deal on Allen Durham’s free throws, 99-94. “We we down by three but we got a chance to tie (with a triple) or lumamang pa ng isa (with a four-pointer). I think iyun ang mas nakaka-excite. Hanggang dulo, mahirap masabi kahit lamang ka pa ng sampu, na panalo ka na,” he said.

“Dahil sa four points, baka bad decision lang kayo, makatakbo iyung kabila, then maka-shoot ng dalawa, dikit na agad. So I think nakakatuwa and nakaka-excite.”

While a helpful tool, Mr. Lee didn’t see the four-point shot as the new bread and butter of teams.

“We’re not looking to it. If you’re open, just take it and alam naman sa team namin kung sino lang iyung mga tumitira talaga doon. So we’re not going to force na, o sige, tira ka ng ganun,” he said.

It’s the same for Mr. Banchero. “You don’t want to force it just because it’s a four-point line. You kind of want to catch a rhythm,” he said.

Mr. Banchero converted the league’s first 4-point shot, knocking one down at 10:25 of the second period.

“It’s always good to be in the record books. (Strength and conditioning) Coach Diego (Lozano) said a couple of weeks ago that I’d be the first one to make it. I’m just happy that we got the win,” the Fil-Italian guard said.

“It’s fun playing with it. We’ll see how it goes this conference. We’ll see if they want to keep it,” he added.