MANILA, Philippines – James Yap is not losing sleep over missing what could have been the game-tying triple in Rain or Shine’s sorry 91-94 loss to Magnolia in Game 4 of the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals on Monday, April 22.

The former two-time league MVP could have sent the game to an extra period but his three-pointer hit the back iron as time expired following a tough contest by Rome dela Rosa. 

“Basta ang nasa isip ko ngayon, no regrets basta naitira ko nang maayos,” Yap told reporters after the game. (I have no regrets because I feel that I shot the ball well.)

“‘Yun ‘yung naglalaro sa isip ko, na ‘di na maibabalik kung mintis. Pero alam ko naman na naitira ko nang maayos.” (I just think that I can’t bring the miss back. I know that I shot the ball well.)

A silver lining, though, for Yap is his heavily improved scoring after norming just 7.3 points in the first 3 games on a combined 8-of-33 shooting.

In Game 4, the 37-year-old finally found his touch as he fired 24 points on a 7-of-17 clip to go with 6 rebounds. 

“Na-realize ko na masyado akong gigil. Parang every time na tatanggap ako ng bola, gusto ko gumagawa ng paraan kaagad. Parang ‘di ko hinahayaan na ‘yung game ‘yung dumating sa akin,” he said. 

(I realized that I was overeager. It’s like every time that I have the ball, I always want to find a way immediately. I didn’t let the game come to me.)

“Kaya ‘yung for this game, nag-relax ako, hinayaan ko dumating ‘yung game sakin. So far, noong sumugod naman, okay naman. Sana next game, ganoon pa rin.”

(For this game, I was relaxed and I let the game come to me. So when I attacked, my shots were going in. I hope next game it stays that way.) 

Although Magnolia won two straight to level the best-of-seven affair at 2-all, Yap and Rain or Shine have yet to push the panic button. 

“Actually, wala pa namang time na mag-panic. Naka-all lang sila. It all boils down to best-of-three na,” he said. (It’s not time yet to panic. They just tied the series. It now boils down to a best-of-three series.)

The series shifts to the crucial Game 5 on Wednesday, April 24, at the Cuneta Astrodome. – Rappler.com