[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Chan ‘excited’ to play with long-time rival Yap in RoS ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
By ADRIAN STEWART CO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
MANILA – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters’ Jeffrei Chan is more than excited to team-up with former rival James Yap in the 2016-2017 PBA Philippine Cup, which will open on Sunday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Chan said he is glad he’s now in the same team with Yap, who became his rival way back in their high school days when the former was playing for the University of St. La Salle while the latter was with the Iloilo Central Commercial High School.
“Excited ako to team up with James finally.Magkalaban kami sa mga tournaments noon eh. Siya sa Iloilo, ako naman sa Bacolod,” Chan said. “Hindi kami nananalo sakanila kasi sila mahilig mag-recruit pero kami puro mga taga-Bacolod lang ang players.”
The Bacolod City-native Chan recounts that that he had his revenge on Yap when he was with the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in the UAAP while the latter was a East Red Warriors forward.
“Pero noong nasa UAAP na, nananalo na kami laban sa kanya pero kasi kumpleto naman kami sa players,” Chan added. “Dito naman sa PBA, minsan ako ang nanalo, minsan siya pero ngayon Masaya ako at kakampi ko na siya.”
“Gusto lang naming ipakita (ngayong teammates na kami) nakahit na same position kami, magki-click kami sa sistemani coach Caloy (Garcia),” said Chan. “Kung healthy lang si James, madami pa siyang kalaban na papahirapan.”
Chan and Yap are just two of the 13 players in the opening day roster, who also trace their roots in Western Visayas– six coming from Bacolod City, five from Iloilo City and two from Negros Occidental.
The Bacolod City natves are Reynel Hugnatan and Justin Chua of the Meralco Bolts, Siverino Baclao of the Alaska Aces and LA Revilla of Mahindra Floodbuster. Phoenix Fuel Masters’ practice player Pao Javelona is also from Bacolod.
Meanwhile, the pride of Iloilo are Ken Bono and AnjoCaram of the Bolts, Ronald Tubid of the San Miguel Beermen, Emman Monfort of the NLEX Road Warriors and Painters’ reserve Billy Ray Robles. Coming from Negros Occidental is Road Warriors’ Raul Soyud./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
