The Derby Ace starting guard continues to be the top choice of basketball fans for the April 23-25 spectacle Puerto Princesa in Palawan is hosting for the first time.

James Yap has all but secured a starting spot in the South lineup for this year’s PBA All-Star game.

The Derby Ace starting guard continues to be the top choice of basketball fans for the April 23-25 spectacle Puerto Princesa in Palawan is hosting for the first time.

The 39,962 votes so far received by the former league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) remain the highest among the leading 10 players selected to comprise the first five of both the North and South squads.

This marks the sixth straight time the charismatic but soft-spoken shooting guard out of University of the East will start for the South team since his rookie season in 2004.

Last year, he suited up for the Powerade-RP Team that played North and South in a series of tune-up games during the All-Star festivities as the Nationals geared up for the FIBA-Asia men’s basketball championship.

Fans have until April 4 to vote their respective selections for the All-Star game, with voting boots available at the playing venue (Araneta Coliseum) and online at www.pba.ph.

So far joining Yap at the South backcourt is high-flying Barangay Ginebra stalwart Cyrus Baguio with 20,012 votes, although making a last minute case is Yap’s Derby Ace teammate Roger Yap with 18,202 or about 1,810 votes behind Baguio.

The South frontline is led by Sta. Lucia’s Kelly Williams (27,554), Erik Menk of Barangay Ginebra with 23,158 and Coca-Cola’s Asi Taulava with 21, 476.

Still in the running is another Derby Ace bet in Rafi Reavis, who trails Taulava by just 2,354 votes (18,206).

For the Northern side, Mark Pingris also of Derby Ace, paces its frontline unit with 29,538 as he ranked second behind Yap for the most number of total votes earned.