BATANGAS CITY, Philippines – James Yap still has it.

After nearly a decade, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters veteran caught fire for 24 points to reclaim the 3-Point Shootout crown in the Luzon leg of the 2018 PBA All-Star Week at the Batangas City Sports Center here on Friday, May 25.

The 36-year-old, who last won the event in 2009, defeated GlobalPort’s Stanley Pringle, who scored 21 points, and TNT’s Terrence Romeo, who finished with 16 points, in the final round. 

Rain or Shine’s James Yap reclaims the 3-Point Shootout crown with 24 points in the finals. #PBAAllStar2018 | via @dioquinodelfin pic.twitter.com/4N7AxuVnZu

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) May 25, 2018

“Pwede pa rin pala. Pwede pa. Syempre sobrang happy ako kasi syempre after 9 years, nakuha ko ulit,” said Yap. 

(I can still do it. I’m very happy that after 9 years, I won again.)

Yap showed extreme consistency throughout the contest, also firing 24 points in the elimination round. He pocketed a cash prize of P30,000. 

Last year’s champion Allein Maliksi had the lowest output among the 12 participants with 11 points. 

Other PBA players who participated were Alaska’s Jvee Casio (14 points), Barangay Ginebra’s LA Tenorio (19), Magnolia’s Paul Lee (17), Columbian’s Ronald Tubid (20), Meralco’s KG Canaleta (15), NLEX’s Larry Fonacier (13), San Miguel’s Marcio Lassiter (16) and Phoenix’s Matthew Wright (20). 

– Rappler.com