YAP WAXES HOT AS STAR ENDS DROUGHT
ANGELES CITY – Star main man James Yap finally came off the rut while import Marqus Blakely came through with a big game despite early fouls, powering the Hotshots to a crucial 89-80 win over the Kia Carnival in a PBA Governors Cup road game here Saturday night.
Yap and Blakely tossed in 23 points apiece with both having huge plays in the crunch as the Hotshots gained some relief with a first win after four straight losses, which matched their longest losing streak under head coach Tim Cone.
Blakely scored seven straight points in his return to the floor with 7:06 left while Yap spiked his sterling game with a perfect 4-of-4 three-pointers, including two in the last 56 seconds of the Petron Blaze-sponsored out-of-town tussle.
The two really gave the Hotshots tremendous lift, enabling the team to be at 2-4 at the halfway mark of their elimination-round stint in the season-ending tourney which they won over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last year.
The two-time MVP Yap finally found a good rhythm, matching his conference best of 12 points just in the opening quarter and going on to finish with his highest output in the season.
Alex Mallari, Joe Devance, Marc Pingris and PJ Simon provided some help as the Star squad avenged an upset loss to Kia last conference.
The Carnival, who won their last two games prior to this one, failed to match the energy and intensity they put in their double-overtime triumph over the Blackwater Elite the last time out.
Nonetheless, Kia remained in the middle of the team standings with a 3-2 win-loss card.
The Carnival waged a fightback in the fourth quarter but went short in their bid with LA Revilla and Jet Chang missing key shots at the finish.
Kia was just down by five when Chang fumbled an attack to the basket then Revilla took a shot from afar that went air ball.
Chang fired 17 points to top score for Kia which also drew double-digit outputs from Hamady Ndiaye (13), Revilla (12) and Hans Thiele (10).
Yap seized the moment, sparkling at the start and at winning time.
The Star top gun got away with 12 points and four rebounds in the first quarter as the Hotshots established control early at 25-16 then took the half at 51-34.
Before the game, Yap averaged just 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds in the tourney. (SB)
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
