Star forward Marc Pingris said it would be a difficult adjustment for the Hotshots when they approach the tail-end of the elimination round minus its wing man James Yap, who injured his right calf last Sunday against San Miguel.
“Mahirap dahil siya yung inaasahan namin sa opensa. So kailangan magstep-up ulit. Mahirap kapag wala si James kasi siya talaga yung inaasahan namin,” Pingris said, adding Yap told him about what happened last Sunday.
“Nung isang laro na sinabi niya may pumitik, naisip ko agad yung kay Terrence (Romeo). Same injury yan kay Terrence so mahirap yan,” Pingris recalled.
“Nung nakita ko sa Instagram ni James noong papunta siya kay Doc (Raul) Canlas, ‘kako, mahihirapan to. Kasi maga rin eh. Si James naman naglalaro kung masakit pero nakita ko, hindi talaga normal yung hita niya. Namamaga talaga. Mahirap ilaro yun.”
Yap is the Hotshots’ third-leading local scorer, averaging 10.7 PPG on 34.4 percent from three-point land. He also averages 1.7 APG.
At 4-5, Star is battling for one of eight play-off spots in the PBA Commissioner’ Cup. With Yap expected to miss about three weeks, Pingris said the team is left with no choice but to step up especially on offense.
“Kailangan magtrabaho. Hindi naman pag nawala siya, titigil na yung Star Hotshots. Sa dodoblehin namin (ang trabaho), kailangan din magstep-up ng mga shooters namin. Basta sinasabi ko mahirap kapag wala si James,” he shared.
“Kailangan si Peter and Allein, magstep-up sila, magampanan nila yung ginagawa ni James. Tapos magtutulong-tulong kaming mga big guys. So, wala tayong magagawa, injury eh. Yan kalaban naming mga player.”
