By Waylon Galvez
Rain or Shine superstar James Yap still needs to undergo another swab test before he can rejoin the team’s practice session apart from completing his 14-day quarantine since arriving from Italy.
Yap, a two-time PBA Most Valuable Player, said he was informed by deputy ROS team manager Jireh Ibanes to take another test since it is part of the league’s health protocols.
“Kailangan uli ako na magpa-swab team before ako maka-join talaga sa ensayo ng team. Hindi basta basta na punta lang ako dun, kailangan talaga safety importante sa lahat,” said Yap.
“Kaya now need ko na muna na matapos yung 14-day quarantine sa bahay then tuloy na ako magpa-test para makapag-start na din ako and maka-sabay na ako ng ensayo sa mga group ko.”
Ibanes said he expects the 36-year-old Yap to start practice session next week.
“The target date (for Yap’s swab test) is on the 18th. Most likely he’ll join the workout of the team next week once we get his negative results,” said Ibanes, a former ROS player.
Ibanes said that Yap’s swab test is at the Makati Medical Center.
If given the green light, Yap would join the practice session of Rain or Shine every Monday-Wednesday-Friday from 8 to 9 in the morning at the Reyes gymnasium in Mandaluyong City.
A member of the 40 Greatest Players in the PBA, Yap will have to train with Jewel Ponferada, Norbert Torres and Sidney Onwubere under assistant coach Chris Gavina.
Yap had a negative result on his swab test last September 4 after arriving from Milano Marittima, a province in Ravenna, Italy where he stayed for three months with his fiancée Michela Cazzola, and their four-year-old son Michael James and two-year-old daughter Francesca Michelle.
