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| Paul Lee meets his former team, while the rest of the Hotshots have James Yap as a foe. (file photo) |
By Ivan Saldajeno
MANILA--James Yap and Paul Lee meet for first time since the blockbuster trade on Oct. 13 that saw each other swapping kits as Star and Rain Or Shine collide in a Sunday offering at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Lee, now a Hotshot, and Yap, now an Elasto Painter, face off against each other--and their former teams--in the 4:30 p.m. game preceding another hot showdown between the Alaska Aces and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel at 6:45 p.m.
On a personal note, Yap thinks the game is a huge one for him since this will be his first game against the Purefoods franchise, where he played for 12 seasons and led to seven championships.
“All the players and coaches [at ROS] know that this game is a big deal for me, and I’m sure they’ll be there to support me,” said "Big Game" James.
For Lee, however, he sees it as a typical day in the office.
"OK lang naman sa akin. It's part of life as a player [that you get traded]. Kahit saan ka mapunta, you need to be ready. Nakapag-move on na ako. Nag-e-enjoy ako dito sa bago kong team. Lahat ng sacrifices namin, nagbunga na. For sure, ready na kami," said "The Lethal Weapon".
A win for the E-Painters, currently at 3-1, can put them at a tie at the top of the standings with the San Miguel Beermen, who mauled the NLEX Road Warriors on Saturday night in Cagayan De Oro.
[Related Story: SMB puts NLEX into further limbo in CDO]
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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