-
-
-
SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
-
-
-
-
04
-
26
-
2024
-
SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
04
26
2024
Playing on one healthy knee, James Yap found a way to save Purefoods Star from further slide.
Barely back from a two-game layoff, Yap seized the moment with the game on the line as Purefoods Star snapped out of a three-game slump in drubbing San Miguel Beer, 113-105, in overtime in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
Yap scored eight of his 15 points in the extra period as the Hotshots recovered after blowing away a 17-point spread in the fourth quarter and thus moved up to solo fourth place with a 5-3 win-loss card.
Meanwhile, San Miguel slid deeper down the cellar at 1-6, losing two of three games with AZ Reid as import.
“It’s really a good win – truly a good win but a little unsatisfactory in a coaching standpoint,” said Purefoods coach Tim Cone.
“Just when you think you’ll walk away with a nice win, you give it up and then struggle in overtime. Luckily before the start of the overtime, our guys got focused, and James Yap seized the moment which he’s been doing all his playing career,” Cone pointed out.
Failing to salvage the game in regulation with a missed three-pointer at the buzzer, Yap didn’t get discouraged, drilling in two treys, making a layup and issuing a good assist to Marc Pingris in a decisive flurry that got Purefoods back on the winning track after losing two games with Daniel Orton and one with Denzel Bowles.
Readjusting to PBA play, Bowles came through with 35 points, 17 rebounds, six assists, three blocks and one steal against three errors in his second game in the mid-season tourney.
“It’s not easy adjusting from the Chinese league to the PBA. The two leagues play a lot different and I don’t need to say which is worse and better,” said Cone.
Alex Mallari, Mark Barroca and Pingris had their significant contributions for Purefoods, but San Miguel also had a lot of guys putting in their share as the Beermen fought back from a 17-point deficit, 66-83, at the outset of the fourth quarter.
Marcio Lassiter scored eight straight points, including two three-pointers, as the Beermen pulled even at 95-all with 1:56 left in the fourth.
The two teams fought through two more deadlocks before the Beermen gained a chance to steal the game only to blow it away in the closing seconds.
At 98-all, the Beermen took possession after a missed three-pointer by Alex Mallari.
Lassiter opted to make an outlet pass to Chris Ross for a possible fastbreak play, but Mallari deflected the ball and Barroca completed the steal.
The game went into overtime as Yap missed the last shot in regulation – a step-back jumper from the right flank.
Still, Yap won’t shy away from the ball in overtime.
He knotted the count at 103-all on a triple, then scored on a layup to again tie the count at 105 before teaming up with Bowles and Pingris in an eight-to-nothing closing attack to deal the Beermen another heart-rending loss.
“Obviously, both teams are on the brink in the conference, and so it’s a desperation game. Though down by 17, they came back on desperation game,” said Cone. (SB)
Follow Us
Other Stories:
Recent Stories:
Complete stories on our Digital Edition newsstand for tablets, netbooks and mobile phones; 14-issue free trial. About to step out? Get breaking alerts on your mobile.phone. Text ON INQ BREAKING to 4467, for Globe, Smart and Sun subscribers in the Philippines.