Is James Yap back as the Face of the PBA?

(c) PBA Media Bureau

There is no dullness in the Rain or Shine town today! They are currently 3-1 and have won against the two most powerful teams and the title favorites this conference, San Miguel Beermen and Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel.

Their victory against San Miguel last Friday was really convincing because they won by 10 points and they did play like the better team for the majority of that game.

Now, if I ask you, before the start of the season, who will be the top scorer of Rain or Shine, will you have answered James Yap?

No way! Last 2018, Chris Tiu and Maverick Ahanmisi were their top 2 scorers. Yap was third in terms of points per game and fourth in terms of field-goal attempts per game.

This season, he is the leading the team on both categories. Yap is currently manufacturing 17.5 points in 44% FG and 48% 3FG per game. 

So, how did coach Caloy Garcia is helping James?

According to him, the other players were instructed to look for him in their free-flowing scheme. He also told Man with a Million Moves that he has the green light to take shots as he wanted. 

That has boosted the confidence of Big Game James, who confirmed it. In their system, Yap has been taking different shots. He has confidently taken several pull-up midrangers per game, catch-and-shoot threes and even pull-up threes.

Yap is also working double-time in keeping his conditioning at peak and that has helped him endure physical constraints in attacking the baskets either going for a lay-up or his floaters. 

The biggest question now is, is he back as the face of the PBA?

If he can sustain his scoring and end up as a top 10 scorer in the league with okay efficiency, why not? 

Especially with the fact that no one has separated himself from the others to take his throne when he was "away".