Player of the Week: Big Game James

About a month a half ago, new B-Meg head coach Tim Cone was quoted to have said that James Yap will flourish in the triangle offense that he has long been preaching. It may have taken a while but that certainly is what is already happening right now at the Llamados’ camp.

The two-time MVP lived up to his “Big Game James” monicker, coming up with huge games for B-Meg this past week as the Llamados stretched their winning streak to three in the 2011-12 PBA Philippine Cup.

As a result, the PBA Press Corps has named him its Accel Player of the Week for the period November 7 to 13.

James Yap first sizzled with 25 points, 11 right in the opening period, as B-Meg exacted revenge on Meralco and former head coach Ryan Gregorio last Friday 95-79 at the Cuneta Astrodome. James added four rebounds, two assists and one shotblock while going 2-of-4 from three-point range as the Llamados got back at the Bolts who won their first meeting 84-78 last Oct. 15.

After just a two-day rest, James Yap followed it up with a 24-point effort last Sunday as the Llamados beat Cone’s former team, Alaska, for the second time in the conference 92-89 in double overtime last Sunday.

James again provided the initial spark with 10 points in the opening period. Then just when everybody thought fatigue had caught up with him as he came with just a combined six points in the final three quarters and in the first overtime, James exploded four eight markers in the second extra period, going 4-for-4 from the field as B-Meg, which was playing minus an injured PJ Simon, finished off the Aces.

“James has that unique ability to put his whole team on his back and carry them to victory. He can score and make tough shots against great defense and that is demoralizing for the opposing team,” said Cone, adding he knows that by heart.

“I know because I use to be against him, and I’m just glad I’m on his side now,” a happy Cone explained.

For his part, James Yap is only too glad the Llamados, who have upped their record to 5-4 from a dismal 2-4 start, are finally clicking and thriving under the new system of Cone.

“Masaya siyempre dahil nagbubunga na yung mga paghihirap namin.  Sana magtuloy-tuloy na,” said James of the team’s current success.

On his winning Player of the Week honors, he said, “Kung ito yung pruweba na makakapag-adjust na nga hindi lang ako kundi ang buong team sa triangle offense ni coach Tim sana mas mag-improve pa kami lalo. Pasalamat talaga ako kay coach Tim sa tiyaga niya sa pagturo sa amin ng triangle.”

James Yap beat teammate Kerby Raymundo and Petron Blaze stalwarts Arwind Santos and Alex Cabagnot for Player of the Week honors.(pr)

Aces still a force even without Cone

FROM one ``Triangle’ to another.

While the presence of long-time coach Tim Cone will surely be missed
over at the Alaska bench, the system that has become the team’s bread
and butter the past 22 years – Triangle Offense – stays on as
long-time assistant Joel Banal takes over the coaching reins left
behind by the multi-titled American mentor.

Although Banal had one-time been a head coach in the Philippine
Basketball Association (PBA) himself, his association with Cone as a
trusted lieutenant has been well-known that both are always connected
with each other.

But following the departure of Cone, and his subsequent acceptance of
the B-Meg coaching job, both will now have to go their separate ways.

Banal however, said Cone’s influence within the Aces won’t diminish,
especially in relation with the Triangle Offense, a system that
produced 13 championships for the franchise and tied it with the
legendary Crispa Redmanizers as the second winningest team in the rich
history of Asia’s pioneering professional league.

“My style is a combination of structure and unstructured systems,”
said Banal, who won for Talk `N Text its first ever league
championship during the 2003 All-Filipino conference.

Even without Cone, the coach with the most number of games won in PBA
annals, the Aces still kept the core of the team that won the 2009
Fiesta Cup championship, players like L.A. Tenorio, Cyrus Baguio,
Sonny Thoss, Tony De La Cruz, Mark Borboran, Samigue Eman and Brandon
Cablay.

Only last year, they acquired big man Jay-R Reyes, Paolo Bugia, Wesley
Gonzales and Bonbon Custodio, and now rookie recruits Mac Baracael,
Eric Salamat, Julius Pasculados and Ariel Mepana.

Tenorio, the acknowledged heart and soul of the Aces, said in as much
as the team will miss the company of their former beloved mentor,
Banal is definitely an excellent choice as Cone’s replacement.

“With coach Joel, it’s practically the same system. He’s been coach
Tim’s assistant for many years so adjusting is not hard for us,” said
the former Ateneo star considered by many as among the top three point
guards in the league today.

Tenorio conceded that he’s where at his career right now due to Cone.

“It was he who molded me into the PBA player that I am right now,” he said.

But come the season-opening Philippine Cup which formally kicks off on
Oct. 2 at the Araneta Coliseum, there’s no question as to where and to
who his loyalty will be.

 “We want to get the (All-Filipino) crown. We want to show that we can
do it for coach Joel,” added the cerebral Alaska playmaker.

The Aces open the 37th season by testing outright the mettle of the
Barangay Ginebra Kings on Oct. 9, and then plunge into action against
their former coach and the Llamados in an interesting Oct. 12
encounter. (pr)

SALUD SUMMONS CONE FOR 'CRITICAL' REMARKS

PBA commissioner Chito Salud met with Alaska Aces head coach Tim Cone


yesterday regarding statements attributed to the latter criticizing

the three-conference format, import handicapping and one-sided trades,

among others.



No sanctions were meted out, but Salud cautioned Cone from coming out

with similar statements in the future.



“While we acknowledge that the statements were well-intentioned and

that there was no malice on the part of coach Tim, we reminded him to

be more cautious in making statements to the media that tend to be

harmful to the league,” said Salud.



The new commissioner added that he welcomed spirited debates on any

league matter, but he likewise pointed out that the season format,

which will revert back to the three-conference schedule, and the

import handicapping scheme were already approved by the Board.



“It would have been proper had he raised his points before the

measures were approved by the Board,” Salud said.



The meeting, which lasted an hour and a half, allowed Salud and Cone

to discuss several league matters, among them free agency and the

salary cap. The former thanked the champion Alaska mentor for his

valuable inputs, which will be taken and considered as the

Commissioner’s Office takes a closer look at the current policies and

programs in place.(pr)