BASTA LARO LANG KAMI – YAP
Big games need big superstars to come through the biggest moments, and when San Mig Super Coffee’s Grand Slam bid was seriously threatened during Game 5 of their semifinal joust against Talk ‘N Text, a man known for his penchant to deliver the biggest blows once again carried the load and instigated the uprising for the Coffee Mixers.
Hitting three-pointers, shooting one-handers, and forcing turnovers, James Yap gave all he had as he finished with 25 points on 5-of-9 shooting from three-point land, to go along with his six rebounds and three assists. After the final buzzer, the scoreboard read: San Mig 93, TNT 87.
“Basta laging nasa isip ko, kung di man ako makatulong sa offense, sa defense ako tutulong,” he said. “Kumbaga, yun naman yung first option namin talaga – defense talaga. Kasi pag di ako dumedepensa, nilalabas ako ni coach eh.”
“Thank God na pumapasok yung tira natin.”
Known as Big Game James, Yap said that his impressive showing in the crucial stages of the tourney is nothing new.
“Kailangan talaga kasi nalilibre ka sa labas pag kini-kick out sa yo, kaya dapat buo rin ang loob mo kasi do-or-die na eh,” he said, as San Mig atoned for their Game 4 overtime loss, where Yap forced the extra period with his signature floater.
“Iniisip mo na lang pag binitawan mo yung bola, may mangyayari lagi. Yun na lang iniisip ko.”
Now the Mixers plunge into the final leg of their Grand Slam quest, but Yap is not about to lose sleep over it.
“Ako personally, di ko iniisip yun. Di ko inisip sa game na to na pag natalo, ang sakit. Basta laro lang kami. Bahala na kung anong mangyayari,” said Yap. “Thank God nakapasok kami ng Finals. May chance na magawa namin, pero di ko iniisip yun. The more na iisipin mo, the more na makakasira ng laro.”
The two-time MVP also refused to choose who among the Elasto Painters and the Aces he’d rather meet in the title series.
“Mahirap pumili. Lahat magaling. Pagdating ng Finals, iba na yung laro,” Yap quipped. (RL)
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