James Yap is PBA season’s scoring champ

MANILA, Philippines – Purefoods’ main gunner James Yap emerged as the 2007-08 Philippine Basketball Associaiton (PBA) season’s scoring champ based on the statistical points in both the Philippine Cup and the Fiesta Conference. Joining Yap with top individual honors are Coca-Cola’s Asi Taulava (rebounds) and Jayjay Helterbrand of Barangay Ginebra (assists). Sta. Lucia’s Ryan Reyes, Arwind Santos of Air21, Alaska’s Sonny Thoss, Mike Hrabak of Red Bull and Coca-Cola’s Mark Macapagal also topped different statistical departments in the exciting and dramatic season highlighted by the title conquests of the Realtors and the Barangay Ginebra Kings. Yap ended Mark Caguioa’s two-year reign as the league’s scoring champion as the 2006 most valuable player (MBP) posted 21.32 points per game average to edge out two-time MVP Willie Miller, who averaged 20.67 an outing. Rounding out the top 10 leading scorers were Caguioa (19.82), Kelly Williams (18.23), Jayjay Helterbrand (18.11), Cyrus Baguio (18.02), Macmac Cardona (16.89), Santos (16.33), Danny Seigle (15.39) and Gary David (15.33). Yap became only the second Purefoods player to become the league’s scoring leader after Alvin Patrimonio who held the title for three years in 1992, 1993 and 1998. The former University of the East Red Warrior improved his shooting touch in the three years he played in the PBA. He averaged only 12.5 points in his rookie season, 17.6 the following year and 19.7 as a junior in the pro league. Taulava and Helterbrand retained their crowns as the kings in rebounds and assists. The Coca-Cola behemoth averaged 12.51 boards a game, while the Ginebra playmaker issue 6.5 feeds per contest. Williams (10.73), Nic Belasco (10.35), Santos (9.56) and Kerby Raymundo (9.2) were the runners-up to Taulava in the rebounding department while Jimmy Alapag (5.9), Wynne Arboleda (4.8), Alex Cabagnot (4.5) and LA Tenorio (4.5) ranked next to Helterbrand in assists. Reyes was no.1 in steals (2.1) Santos in blocks (1.45) Thoss in overall field-goal shooting percentage (53.87 per cent), Hrabak in three-point accuracy (42.92 per cent) and Macapagal at the free throw line (82.42 per cent). – GMANews.TV