YAP PLAYING THROUGH PAIN AS SAN MIG CONTINUES FREEFALL
Leading by as much as 18 in the third quarter, San Mig Super Coffee collapsed in the closing period and bowed to Meralco, 64-72, dropping to a woeful 1-5 record at the 2014 PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Though the Super Coffee Mixers got James Yap back in their fray, they still couldn’t muster the win.
Yap, who topscored for San Mig Super Coffee in the game with 14 points but had an uneventful 6-of-23 shooting from the field, said, “Crucial yung game kanina so gapang na naman kami.” He had his right arm heavily bandaged to protect his injured elbow for the game.
“Masakit pa rin eh. Tumatabingi yung tira ko,” he said. “Mahirap tumira pero tira pa rin. Yun ang trabaho natin eh.”
The two-time MVP said that the injury bothers him more because it is on his shooting hand, and induces pain whenever he tries to straighten his right arm.
“May movement na masakit kaya mahirap tumira. Ang dami kong tutukang tira kanina, minsan malakas, minsan mahina. Ganun talaga, kailangan lang talagang mag-adjust,” Yap said.
He adds that the injury doesn’t really need any surgery, as he is currently undergoing strengthening therapies, but the prolonged rest makes Yap cringe to get back on the court.
“Ang tagal ko nang napahinga, mga 10 days. Di ako sanay kaya nabo-bored ako eh, pero kailangang alagaan yung mga nananakit sa katawan,” he said. “Pero medyo kaya na naman, so ilalaro ko na. Wala nang import ngayon kaya kailangang mas magtulungan kaming teammates.”
San Mig Coffee’s paltry record also raises anxiety in Yap’s side, as every game seems as important as ever, as the. Governors’ Cup champs don’t want to be eliminated outright.
“Ngayon lang na nangyari na mababa talaga kami.,” he said.
“Ngayon, every practice dapat focus na. Next game, kailangan na talaga naming manalo, kasi kapag natalo na naman, sobrang hirap na makabalik. Must-win situation na. Dapat na naming i-treat na playoff yung remaining games.” (RLeongson)
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