By Waylon Galvez
After a stunning loss to GlobalPort last Tuesday, Rain or Shine guard James Yap recalled in a flash his bitter experience with his former team six years ago.
Though armed with a twice-to-beat advantage, the top seeded B-Meg franchise – now Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok – got the boot after absorbing back-to-back defeat to eighth-seeded squad Powerade in the quarterfinal round of the 2012 Philippine Cup.
Yap said that “bad” experience was his motivation to raise his game in a knockout match.
“I don’t want to experience that… not again. It was very painful for me and the whole team,” said Yap, a former 2-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the PBA.
“After our loss to GlobalPort, I can’t help but to always be reminded, always think about that experience,” Yap added, referring to the team’s 114-113 setback Tuesday that forced the do-or-die match.
Yap emerged as the top local scorer for the Elasto Painters after exploding for 27 points to back up the 29-point and 15-rebound effort of Rain or Shine wide-bodied import Reggie Johnson.
Yap shot 9-of-17 from the field, including 7-of-10 from three-point territory. The scoring output and the seven triples of the 6-foot-2 ace gunner were both his highest in a ROS uniform.
