Purefoods star James Yap phoned the other day to explain his side on the bench-clearing incident that marred Talk ‘N’ Text’s 98-83 win over the Tender Juicy Giants in a PBA Fiesta Conference wildcard game at the Ynares Center in Antipolo last Wednesday.
Yap, the 2005-06 MVP, was slapped a technical foul for kicking Phone Pals import Terrence Leather on the thigh from behind and later assessed a P50,000 fine.
The melee erupted with 9:36 left in the game as Leather and Purefoods’ Jondan Salvador got involved in some heavy body banging at the post. Salvador, playing offense, was backing into Leather who tried to hold his ground on the quarter block. Leather was whistled for the contact. Words were exchanged. Leather moved in on Salvador who thrust the ball on his chest to keep the Talk ‘N’ Text import from advancing. Leather grabbed the ball and threw it at Salvador’s face.
In the confusion, Yap came from behind and kicked Leather’s thigh. Leather turned around and with fire in his eyes, ran after Yap. Leather looked like he had snapped. Ali Peek intervened to prevent a wild free-for-all. With an impish grin, Yap sprinted away to avoid an escalation of the skirmish.
Someone said Yap did a Carmelo Anthony who in a game against New York at Madison Square Garden in 2006, threw a sucker punch at the Knicks’ Mardy Collins in the face then ran away when 6-10 Jared Jeffries went after him. The incident happened with 1:15 left in the game and Denver up by 19. Collins had just committed a rough foul on J. R. Smith to prevent a breakaway layup. Anthony was suspended 15 games for punching Collins.
The comparison to Anthony isn’t fair. First, Anthony struck Collins in the face with a clear intent to hurt and in fact, floored the Knicks’ 6-6 forward. Second, Anthony’s intention was malicious - his mind was no longer on the game since the outcome was already settled.
* * *
If Yap wanted to hurt Leather, he would’ve done something more harmful than a kick to the thigh.
Yap related what went on in his mind in charging at Leather.
“It wasn’t right what Leather was doing,” said Yap. “It was like he was high on marijuana or some drug. He wasn’t playing basketball anymore. He was out to hurt. He threw the ball at Jondan and it got him in the face. I wanted to take Leather’s attention away from Jondan so I came from behind to kick him.”
Yap said he would’ve stood his ground and duked it out with Leather, mano-a-mano, but when he saw Peek moving in, he backed off.
“You don’t fool around with Ali,” said Yap. “I can face Leather one-on-one but not Leather and Ali together. Besides, my other purpose was to take Leather out of the game. We still had a chance to win. I knew if he reacted to me, he would go crazy and get himself ejected. I just thought he didn’t deserve to continue playing the way he was acting.”
If Yap was motivated by malice, he wouldn’t have been grinning while avoiding a full-blown flare-up. His eyes would’ve been on fire like Leather’s. He would’ve acted like a criminal not a kid who just did something naughty.
Yap said he was surprised by the amount of his fine.
“Of course, nobody wanted it to happen and I’m sure everyone regrets being involved,” said Yap. “We’ll all learn from it - the players and referees particularly.”
In the Finals last conference, Yap was suspended a game when his flagrant foul on Joseph Yeo was upgraded by Commissioner Sonny Barrios. This time, Leather wasn’t suspended on what appeared to be a more blatant display of unsportsmanlike conduct. But I didn’t want to ask Yap his comment on that. It would’ve just rubbed salt on his wound.
“We’re a little banged up after a long season,” said Yap. “But we promise PBA fans we’ll be back, stronger and better next time.”
This season, Purefoods finished second to Sta. Lucia Realty in the Philippine Cup, losing in a thrilling Finals that went the seven-game distance. In the Fiesta Conference, the Giants got off to a slow 2-4 start with volatile import Darius Rice even as three of the four losses were by only three points or less. Rice was replaced by 7-foot Reda Rahlimi who couldn’t play up to his potential down the stretch because of a nagging groin injury. Purefoods was subsequently eliminated by Talk ‘N’ Text in a wildcard faceoff.
By the way, Yap and Kris are leaving for a 16-day US vacation on Aug. 2 - just the two of them in a long overdue honeymoon. Yap’s mother is coming from Escalante to take care of Joshua and Baby James in Makati while they’re away. In the Big Apple, they’ll watch “Little Mermaid” “Legally Blonde” and “Wicked” on Broadway.
They’ll also fly to Las Vegas where they’ve got tickets for “Love” and “La Reve.”
Yap and Kris will be back home in time for her father Ninoy’s 25th death anniversary on Aug. 21.
