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James Yap Profile |
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Birth Date: February 15, 1982
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Birth Place: Escalante, Negros Occidental, Philippines
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Birth Name: James Carlos Yap
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Height: 6'3"
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Biography |
James Carlos Yap, Sr. (born February 15, 1982), from
Escalante, Negros Occidental, is a Filipino professional
basketball superstar for the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants
in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was a
2005-2006 season's Most Valuable Player, and is now fast
becoming one of the most promising personalities in the
professional ranks. Now in his fourth year, he is already a
four-time PBA South All-Star team starter through 2004 to
2007.
As a kid, Yap already showed athleticism. He first fell in
love with football and baseball] and track and field, and
played these until high school. His uncle Emmanual Yap was
one of the few who first noticed his potential in
basketball. Growing up, he looked up to one of the most
prolific players in the history of Philippine Basketball,
Samboy Lim.
Yap emerged to be one of the most promising basketball stars
in the Iloilo/Negros region back in the late-90's. Early on
that decade, he played for the Bacolod Tay Tung Highschool
and made his mark at the school. He was transferred to
Iloilo Commercial Central High School, displaying his
skills. Manila Standard. Along the way, he sparked his team
to three consecutive Iloilo PRISAA titles. At that time, it
was rumored that the Negros Slashers of the now-defunct
Metropolitan Basketball Association was going to sign Yap.
However, as fate had it, Yap preferably primed himself for
the collegiate level. He played for the UE Red Warriors
under former national team coach, Boysie Zamar, even though
DLSU also had an eye on him. In 2002, known for his
quick-release shooting and all-around presence, he,
alongside playmaker Paul Artadi and hustling Ronald Tubid,
brought the Red Warriors to the Final Four after years of
absence. However, 2nd seed University of the East lost to a
dramatic semifinal series as they faced Ateneo de Manila
University Blue Eagles, the eventual champion. In the same
year, he led UE to the Collegiate Champions League crown,
beating FEU.
In the heat of UAAP (67th season), Yap led the Red Warriors
to the Final Four for the second straight time as he topped
his teammates in points and rebounding, and closed second to
Artadi in overall efficiency rating. Eventually in the
semifinals series, the Warriors lost to a much more
defensive orchestrated team, Far Eastern University Tamaraws
led by tactician coach, Koy Banal. Nevertheless, Yap was
named as the Most Valuable Player, stunned everyone else as
there were Mark Cardona and Arwind Santos who were neck and
neck for the plum. The majority of the UAAP basketball
community's nods paved the way for James' win as he topped
the vote from coaches, players, and media which accounted
for 50%. In the same year, he, along with teammate Paul
Artadi, was teamed up with other UAAP and PBL counterparts
to lead the Philippines in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games
for a gold medal finish. Thus, the Philippines Sportswriter
Association honored him the best player in his field,
basketball, in the amateurs alongside Asi Taulava in the
professional level.
Yap also played in the Philippine Basketball League from
2001-2004. In 2001, he played for the ICTSI-La Salle Archers
forming a backcourt tandem with Mike Cortez that almost had
their team beating the veteran-laiden, Shark Energy Drink,
in the finals. In 2002, he was teamed up with guards Mark
Cardona and Joseph Yeo, played decoy most of the times while
still explosive in a number of games--one which saw him
sparking the offense, putting the Archers in the playoffs
against Blu Detergent Kings. In 2003, he had to sit out the
whole conference long after ICTSI refused to sign his
release papers to make him eligible to play for
Sunkist-Pampanga. In 2004, Yap signed up for one conference
with the Welcoat Paintmasters, teaming up with the
comebacking Jojo Tangkay, leading them to a runner-up
finish. He and Tangkay lost to Peter June Simon of FASH team
for the MVP plum. Yap ended up completing the Mythical First
Team.
Yap is married to ABS-CBN host-actress, Philippines' Queen
of Talk & Game Shows, Box-Office Queen and top commercial &
Purefoods endorser Kris Aquino, the daughter of slain former
senator and national hero, Benigno Aquino, Jr. and former
President Corazon Aquino. Yap and Aquino's relationship was
rumored as early as 2005 before they acknowledged this on
various interviews. In various interviews in 2006, both
admitted to have tied the knot as early as mid-2005, July
10, to be exact in a civil rites and kept the marriage
unknown to the public. The couple is expecting to have a
baby on May 6, 2007 via ceasarian section.
His marriage with Aquino was recently rocked by the
revelation of a former receptionist from Belo Medical Group
named Hope that she had a relationship with James, which he
vehemently denied in an interview with Korina Sanchez.
This eventually led to Kris asking for "space" with the star
cager. James denied the receptionist's allegations in a
press statement. The issue has since died down after the
Kris' pregnancy.Obviously that receptionist just did a
demolition job on the couple. There are not enough evidence
that shows that the girl really did have a relationship with
the famous basketball player.
On April 19, 2007 his first son to Kris was born. The baby
boy's name was James Aquino Yap, was born in Makati Medical
Center, Makati City at 5:08 pm local time.He is 4.3 lbs.He
is baptized on May 19,2007 at Don Bosco Church in
Makati,with 10 grandparents. As of this writing the baby is
now the youngest endorser in this side of the world. |
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Other Information |
2003 UAAP Most Valuable Player (MVP)
2003 UAAP First Five Mythical Team member
2003 Philippine Sportswriters Associaton/PSA major awardee
(amateur basketball ranks)
2003-2004 PBL Mythical First Team member
2005-2006 PBA Most Valuable Player (MVP)
2005-2006 PBA Mythical First Team member
2006 PSA major awardee (professional basketball ranks)
4-time PBA All-star starter (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 -- South
Team) |
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galingan ni ha dptkau ung champin this year.g g idl..