James Yap would like to ride into the sunset in style.
The two-time Most Valuable Player swears he still has a lot left in the tank that he can help Rain or Shine figure prominently in the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup that gets going in early-November.
“I am still confident that I can play,” Yap, 41, told Daily Tribune, as he attempts to crack the roster of head coach Yeng Guiao.
“I have been training the past three weeks and I know I can still help the team. On the other hand, I still feel good about the team’s chances because of the good young players that we have, plus the new additions.”
His coach, Yeng Guiao expects the veteran swing man to play a vital role amid the influx of young talented players in the squad.
“He’s been working out for a few weeks now and he looks good,” Guiao said.
“James knows how I can use him. It’s all a matter of trust,” he added.
Although Rain or Shine has yet to go all-out in scrimmages, Yap had been actively involved in the shooting workouts, according to assistant coach Caloy Garcia.
Last season, Yap returned and signed a one-conference deal with the Elasto Painters, but the team got eliminated early, preventing the former University of the East hotshot from showcasing his wares.
One of the league’s 40 Greatest Players, Yap wants to make another run, hoping that he’ll be part of something.
In the event Yap gets signed, he will be joining hands with 6-foot-7 Luis Villegas, arguably the best big man in the recent Rookie Draft, and 6-foot-8 Keith Datu.
Although the Elasto Painters will have to wait some time before Villegas recovers from a knee injury, Guiao believes it will be worth the wait.
But Yap will be at the forefront of Guiao’s plan of attack and the cager insists he still has what it takes to bang with the young guns.
