MANILA, Philippines -- Marion Magat is proving to be a solid pick-up for the NLEX Road Warriors in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup, as the unheralded big man played a huge role in their first win of the All-Filipino Conference on Sunday.

Signed by NLEX in the offseason after he was released by Alaska, Magat has been averaging 9.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the Road Warriors -- solid numbers for the lanky forward who normed just 3.7 points last season.

His best game so far came against the Columbian Dyip on Sunday, when he put up 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 4 blocks in NLEX's 107-97 win.

"Marion Magat is a pleasant surprise. When we picked him up from the free agency and we saw him in practice, we were actually planning to put him in the reserve list," NLEX coach Yeng Guiao revealed after the game.

"But after a few days in practice, we felt he deserved to be in the regular line-up, and he's proving that he deserves his slot," he added.

• READ: NLEX loses 31-point lead but holds on to beat Dyip

Magat's solid performance could not have come at a better time for NLEX, as they were missing veteran big man JR Quiñahan due to an ankle sprain. The forward fit well with star center Poy Erram, and together the two anchored NLEX's defense inside the paint.

His impressive outing came as a surprise even to Magat.

"Nagulat din ako sa performance ko, pero pinaghandaan ko ang sarili ko eh," he said. "Lalo na NLEX, sabi ko, eh sabi nila na mahina pa nga daw ang katawan ko, so nag-focus sila sa weights namin. So 'yun ang resulta, naging maganda naman ang resulta ng game ko."

For Magat, his hard work is his way of repaying for NLEX for giving him another chance to play in the PBA.

"Thankful din kasi ni-line-up din ako ngayon," he said.

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