Dubai: Almost a year to the day that his marriage to the Philippines president's sister was declared over, James Yap's 32 points helped B-Meg beat grand-slam hopefuls Talk N Text 111-105 in Dubai on Thursday, to officially end his annus horriblis.
Teaching Tiger Woods and Ryan Giggs a thing or two on recovering from allegations of infidelity, the 29-year-old won his second Philippine Basketball Association MVP award in 2010, despite his very public divorce from Kris Aquino — the daughter of late president Corazon and sister to the incumbent Noynoy, with whom he has a son.
Much of the work for that MVP accolade had already been done however, winning the 2009/10 Philippine Cup three months before his ex-wife's tearful admission of their separation on her own TV show — citing irreconcilable differences. His team went on to lose in the semis of the Fiesta Cup a month later.
And winning ways have yet to return. B-Meg could only reach the semis of the 2010/11 Philippine Cup this season and went out of the Commissioner's Cup early.
Popularity for his team has done anything but wane however, as win-or-lose the spotlight cranked up a notch the day his split from the Aquino-dynasty was made public — and that's despite the majority-catholic state's dim view on divorce.
Even following this Governors' Cup preliminary stage win at Shabab Club — the star had to be rescued from a screaming mob of hundreds of fans who invaded the court to grab pictures with the reluctant icon.
In a country where basketball and show-business rule, Yap remains king, followed closely by boxer Manny Pacquaio and Phil Younghusband, the national team footballer who spent time at Chelsea. But uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.
Camera shy
Last Wednesday's press conference at the Asiana Hotel saw multiple non-basketball questions thrown at camera-shy Yap, who squirmed under the media glare. One asked if he and singer Marie Digby were an item and the other if he needed company that night. "Just friends" and a coy thumbs-up were the replies.
While golf's Woods has escaped such directness, Yap faces it head on.
Although he plays along, it's clear he's uncomfortable with his undoubted talent being overshadowed.
He waves it off in an interview with Gulf News: "I know it's just for fun, those questions at the press conference.
"I want to be known only for my basketball, but as basketball is so big they all know what I've done in my life.
"They know what happened to me and I'm happy that they all support me. Personal questions are a given, that's part of it.
"We're here to make the Overseas Filipino Workers happy and reward them for their support of the PBA and B-Meg, we're very thankful.
"This is a big win for us, a big turning point. Talk N Text is a tough team. They were champions of the last two conferences and my teammates were very motivated to beat them."
Convincing win
They did so convincingly, outclassing the Jimmy Alapag-led treble-hunters in a crucial third quarter to lead 82-74, having lost the first and second quarters 29-21 and 56-53.
"The Governors' Cup is very important. We all know in the last conference we didn't even make the quarter-finals so now its time to bounce back," said Yap.
"I'm so happy now, we're there already. Our goal is to go onto the top six. We're also happy we've got an import that fits our system (Darrell Hinson). This is also big for me as last conference I got injured. I'm happy that I'm back now and hope we can make it to the finals."
Back physically and hopefully now mentally, Yap could do with a conference win to end this chapter in his career, returning to the talents that took the boy from Escalante City to the heights of national celebrity.
