BATANGAS City – Flashing his vintage form, James Yap of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters reclaimed the 3-point shootout trophy of the PBA All-Star Games.
At the Luzon leg of the games yesterday at the Batangas City Sports Center, the 36-year-old Yap scored 24 points in the championship round to beat GlobalPort Batang Pier’s Stanley Pringle (23) and TNT KaTropa’s Terrence Romeo (16).
“Sobrang happy ako. After nine years nakuha ko ulit,” said the Escalante City, Negros Occidental-native gunner. “Everyday sa practice may extra shooting. Nadadala din siguro sa three-point shootout.”
Yap also topped the elimination round with 24 points, with Romeo and Pringle following up with 23 and 22 points, respectively.
Ilonggo Ronald Tubid of Columbian Dyip fell short of making it to the finals after scoring 20 points.
It was in fact a double celebration for the Painters with Yap’s teammate Beau Belga showing off his small man’s skills to claim the championship in the big man’s edition of the obstacle challenge.
Belga came out with a flawless run in the final round to finish with 21.7 seconds. He beat Blackwater Elite’s John Paul Erram (29.6 seconds) and San Miguel Beermen’s Gabriel Espinas (30.5 seconds).
“Napa-practice din. Minsan kasi sa practice namin ako ang nagdadala ng bola. So marunong din ako,” said Belga. “Na-challenge din ako sa teammate ko. Sabi ko, I’ll try. ‘Wag lang ma-out sa first round.”
Meanwhile, Phoenix Fuel Masters’ Rey Guevarra hoisted his fourth Slam Dunk trophy after beating Elite’s rookie Emil Renz Palma in a tightly-contested championship round. The finale was close. It went to a tiebreaker with both ending up with identical 77 points.
Guevarra, however, was able to edge out Palma in the dunk off with the score of 40-39./PN
