Alaska Milk tried its best, even throwing the proverbial kitchen sink to stop Purefoods’ top gunner James Yap. But it all went for naught.

Showing maturity and patience, the former MVP winner got away with 24 points, including two pressure-packed charities at crunch time to help the Giants score an 81-77 win in Game 1 of their title series in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Finals Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

“They’re targeting James on defense,” Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio said. “But somehow, he erupted with 24 points.”

Credit that to Gregorio’s offensive strategy which gave Yap plenty of screens and picks to deliver the telling blows.

The Aces even put quicker guards on Yap such as the 5-foot-8 LA Tenorio and 6-foot Fil-Am Brandon Cablay, but their efforts went in vain.

Yap’s performance in the opener of their best-of-seven series was considered a class act.

He finished with 8-of-15 shooting from the field and was almost perfect from the free throw area where he made seven of eight. He also had four rebounds, two assists and a shot block in 35 minutes of action. Though still early, his performance made him a candidate for the Best Player of the Conference.

Though they failed to stop Yap in Game 1, Alaska coach Tim Cone vowed to keep the same philosophy in Game 2 in the hope of leveling the series.

Cone, however, said they have to put a second line of defense in order to limit Yap’s production.

“That’s something that we’ll do, we have to give him (Tenorio) a little more help,” said Cone.

Yap averaged 16 points in their Final Four series with the second seeded San Miguel Beer. The Giants won the series, 4-2.