It looks like James Yap has come back to his “Big Game” ways in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup.
On Friday night, the two-time league MVP produced 21 points on a 50 percent shooting clip. He lead his Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to an impressive 108-98 win over defending four-time conference champs San Miguel Beermen.
After Friday, Yap is now averaging a team-leading 17.5 points per game – he has posted three 20-point games so far – on 44 percent shooting from the floor, including an excellent 48 percent from rainbow country.
And that is thanks to the efforts of head coach Caloy Garcia to set up more opportunities for the 36-year-old.
“Well, when we changed the system, especially nung nasa Bahrain nga kami… One thing that we were trying to implement is to bring back the game of James,” recalled Garcia of that Bahrain stint by Rain or Shine in the off-season.
“Mahirap kasi hanapan dati na sistema na maging komportable siya at komportable yung mga players.”
What Garcia and his deputies are doing to Yap is similar to what they did to Chris Tiu last season, where he had a good run highlighted by his 30-point explosion last November, in what turned out to be his final game.
“So now, parang nangyari kay Chris last conference. We were looking for James,” he said. “Pero free-flowing so everybody can shoot. Hats off sa mga bigs. Kasi mga bigs usually nagbibigay ng pasa kay James.
“Hinahanap talaga siya.”
Meanwhile, for Yap, being one of the more important players on Rain or Shine’s offense gives him plenty of confidence.
“Kung iisipin ko na may go-signal ka kay coach… Malaking bagay ‘yung kumpiyansa na binibigay,” shared the 15-year league veteran.
“‘Yun ang malaking bagay as a player, na alam mo na binibigyan ka ng kumpiyansa.”
