James Yap was given a golden opportunity of hitting two birds with one stone when Rain or Shine had possession with 2.2 seconds left and the score tied at 110-all in the first overtime of Wednesday’s thrilling encounter with NLEX at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Yap went for a three-point shot with a chance of not only giving the Elasto Painters a dramatic victory, but become the 14th player in PBA history to score 10,000 career points – a chase that’s becoming easier said than done.
Unfortunately, the two-time Most Valuable Player’s chance of pulling both feats was never fulfilled.
Yap’s contested shot from rainbow territory hit the front rim, extending the game to a second extra period. Rain or Shine would eventually lose, 122-114, and Yap remained stuck at 9,997 for his career.
“P****, sayang!,” Yap said after the game. “Buti sana kung pumasok, nagulat sana ako, panalo tapos nakuha ko pa.
Ganun talaga. Hindi ko na talaga iniisip, basta ako laro lang.”
The 13-year veteran entered the game needing 17 points to join the exclusive list. At first, it seemed like a slam dunk that Yap’s quest would have to wait at least for another game.
But Yap showed glimpses of the skills that flaunted during his glory days with the Purefoods franchise, scoring seven points in the fourth period that not only allowed the Elasto Painters to erase a nine-point deficit but also put him within earshot of history.
