MANILA, Philippines - B-MEG Derby Ace top gun James Yap, though reportedly going through marital woes, continues to shine on the hard court as he gears up to win a second PBA Most Valuable Player award.
Yap, the Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference (BPC) and Finals MVP winner, is again a contender for the top individual award in the season-ending Fiesta Conference.
Four Talk n Text players and Yap made the top five of the statistical points race after the double-round elimination phase.
Ranidel de Ocampo led the field with an average of 32 statistical points (SPs) per game followed by Kelly Williams (29.3), Macmac Cardona (29.1), Jimmy Alapag (28.8) then Yap (28.7).
Gary David, the scoring leader among local players with an average of 20.5 points per game, was sixth with 28.1 SPs, then came Jay Washington (27.7) at seventh, Gabe Norwood (27.1) at eighth, Arwind Santos (26.6) ninth and LA Tenorio (26.4) 10th.
The top five players after the semis will be the official contenders for the BPC plum.
Yap, being the first conference BPC, is an automatic candidate for the season MVP award.
The former University of the East King Warrior is second in scoring with an 18.1-point clip and also averages 3.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.6 steal and 0.2 block in the Fiesta Conference.
The 2006 MVP awardee will further boost his stock if the Llamados gain outright entry into the semifinals.
Derby Ace battles San Miguel in a playoff for the No. 2 seeding in post-elims play on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.