For the second straight game, James Yap showed flashes of his old self on offense.
The 36-year-old scored 13 points on 57 percent shooting from the floor to help the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters trample the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 106-89, Sunday night.
And as he heated up during the game, he heard his former mentor Tim Cone adjusting his defense on him. But Cone should’ve known that it was too late.
“Naririnig ko si coach Tim na kailangan yung depensa nasa harap ko lang. Yun yung naririnig ko, concerned rin siya na baka biglang maka-shoot ako,” said Yap of his night.
“Eh tuluy-tuloy na.”
But more than his offensive output, the two-time league Most Valuable Player is happy to have made a mark on defense.
The 14-year league veteran racked up two of the team’s five steals. But the best he did on defense was the way he aided their import Reggie Johnson, according to head coach Caloy Garcia.
“One thing that’s good today is he played excellent defense today.
“He was the one na kumbaga, siya naghe-help when the import was having a problem on the other side,” said Garcia. “So yun, yung hinihingi ko sa kanya na dumepensa siya, binigay niya today.
“One time I told him good defense, and niloko pa nga niya ako, ‘Coach nakita mo ba yun?’ I think naka-steal kasi siya.”
And that was something Yap confirmed.
“Sinabi niya sa’kin good defense, sabi ko ‘okay ba coach?,'” said the multi-titled pro with a laugh. “Kailangan i-develop yung defense ko, so yun yung wino-work out ko.
“Sana tuluy-tuloy na.”
