Ray Parks – a young, precocious, furious UAAP MVP

by By MICO HALILI


“An athlete who knows himself is unstoppable. The soul is the zone
that every athlete must strive to enter." – J.R. Moehringer

The UAAP will proclaim an 18-year old as king of college basketball. Yet the teen-ager is upset. He’s upset because his team didn’t go as far as he wanted. He’s upset because he couldn’t give his team more points. Or rebounds. Or assists. Or steals. Or blocks. Or wins.

“Next season will be a better year," Ray declares. “I can tell you that much." 

What a child wants, he tries to get. Once he fails to get it, his world crumbles. Ray Parks, the son of a 7-time PBA Best Import, the cornerstone of NU’s ambitious bid for dominance, is acting like a child. And it’s a great thing. Ironically, he’ll be better because of it. Because he refuses to settle for less. Because he takes little pride in moral victories. Because a franchise player must want to, even irrationally so, win more than anyone else.

“Each time we lose, my teammates use the word ‘bawi’. I hate that word," Ray admits. “Every time somebody says that I want to say ‘I don’t want the next game, I want THIS game.’ I hate losing." 

After his team misses the Final Four with six wins and eight losses, a mature player might react, “It’s only the start. Hopefully we can improve during the off-season and do better next year. What’s important is we competed in almost every game. There’s nowhere to go but up."

But Ray Parks is mature. He’s just not the kind of mature-talking player we’re used to. Some players shine because they’re humble. Ray stands out because he’s honest.

“I’ll tell you straight up what I see," Ray says. “Because I want others to be the same with me." 

Ang bata hindi marunong magsinungaling. Ray Parks knows he’s good. He’s not afraid to show it. It’s the most honest way to play – if you can score, go score. Opponents know he’s good. They’re not afraid to shut him down. It’s the most honest way to defend a player ready to score 30 points in a 40-minute game.

“Ray has been double-teamed. He’s had to do more. He’s playing like an import," Bobby Parks Senior shares. “And the more he gets used to that. It’s going to make him so much better." 

I’m amazed Ray Parks is still a child – albeit a man-child who can do it all. Imagine what he’ll do once he becomes a man. For now, he’s upset. Even when he makes an impossible behind-the-back pass while trying to save the ball from going out of bounds, while teammates on the bench rise from their seats to see the improbable (the scene inexplicably gets better) and his behind-the-back pass turns into an immaculate shot and no words can describe the insanity of what transpires, he fumes. Ray, as his statistics suggest, ruled the UAAP. It’s not enough. National University’s boy king wants to rule the world. —GMA News

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NU’s Ray Parks seizes UAAP MVP plum; Kiefer Ravena is top rookie fave

by By Jasmine W. Payo
Philippine Daily Inquirer

National University’s Ray Parks topped the statistical race at the end of the elimination round to virtually clinch theMost Valuable Player award in the UAAP men’s basketballtournament.

Parks, the son of seven-time PBA Best Import Bobby Parks, averaged a league-best 20 points on top of 6.5rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks.

Finishing in the top 10 of every statistical department, Parks is also set to be the first player to bag the top individual plum despite failing to lead his team to the Final Four.

The league MVP, solely based on statistical points, will be awarded during the championship round.

“It’s a privilege, definitely,” said Parks, a 6-foot-3 southpaw guard.

“During the season, I just concentrated on getting better. But I’d rather win a championship any day than an MVP [because] an MVP is about one man. A championship speaks about the whole team.”

Parks, whose mother Marifer Barbosa is a Filipino, returned to the country with his American father last year after spending only three years in the United States. His eligibility was questioned, but he got the go-signal to play a week before the league opening.

“He has gone through a lot this season,” said NU coach Eric Altamirano.

“What I like about him is his leadership. He doesn’t just provide scoring for us, but there are a lot of intangibles that he gives us. He dives for loose balls, he defends the best players. He’s very disciplined, he’s very religious in watching and studying the games. He’s really a student of the game.”

Ateneo’s own freshman standout, Kiefer Ravena, is also a cinch for the Rookie of the Year award after averaging 13.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals.

Parks isn’t eligible for the rookie plum since only players fresh off high school are qualified.

Other top performers are Ateneo’s Greg Slaughter (13.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 1.4 apg and 1.9 bpg), Adamson’s Alex Nuyles, (15.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.3 apg) and Far Eastern University’s Aldrech Ramos (11.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 1.5 apg).

Also in contention for the other special awards are last year’s MVP RR Garcia of FEU (16.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.7 apg), Ateneo’s Nico Salva (12.8 ppg, 6 rpg, 1.8 apg) and University of Santo Tomas’ Jeric Fortuna (13.6 ppg, 4 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.3 spg).

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No grand debut

source: BusinessMirror.com.ph

Ray Parks Jr. Fails to shine in first game as a bulldog

BOBBY Ray Parks JR. had the golden opportunity to make his debut with National University (NU) a grand one.

But the 18-year-old rookie failed to convert in the Bulldogs’ final possession and allowed University of Santo Tomas (UST) to escape with a 73-72 thrilling win in overtime on Thursday in the 74th University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum.

Parks drove hard to the baseline but was met by a phalanx of Growling Tigers who forced him to miss. UST rookie Kevin Ferrer collared the rebound and sealed the win for the 2006 champions.

“It’s the first game. ‘Got to shake off some cobwebs,” said Parks, who finished with 16 points but was five-of-17 from the field. He also grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three attempts.

“We’ve got to bounce back the next game. We’re a rookie team. So next game, I’ve got to come out with it,” he added.

Playing his first game as a Bulldog, Parks was a little too tentative. He lost the ball in his first crack at the basket inside the first 30 seconds of the match and missed his first three attempts before scoring on a putback, his first field goal 3:40 mark in the second period.

He had a couple of fine moments though—a huge triple that pushed NU to within one, 68-69, and his 15-foot floater that gave the Bulldogs a 72-71 lead with 1:19 remaining.

But Jeric Fortuna was there to spoil his debut as the five-foot-eight guard scored on a jumper to give the lead back to the Growling Tigers, 73-72, with 39.1 ticks left.

Jul-ashri Ignacio committed a huge error in the next NU play as he dribbled on his foot. But UST failed to capitalized and gave the Bulldogs another shot at the win.

Parks, isolated against Jeric Teng, melt a few seconds and unlike in regulation, where he also had the chance for the last shot but opted to pass the ball to Cederick Labing-isa, decided to take charge. But his attempt was way off the mark.

“He did good for a rookie who played his first game in the league,” said Parks’ father Bobby, who is also the assistant athletic director of NU. “He played good but he did not shot very well. He’ll get better in the coming games and I know he will.”

Fortuna led all scorers with 23 points while Ferrer added 12 and 11 rebounds, an impressive showing for the former UAAP Juniors MVP in the game that ended at 65-65 in regulation.

“For me, Jeric is one of the best point guards in the league this season. Made na talaga ’yung bata,” said UST head coach Pido Jarencio. “As for Kevin, nagpapasalamat ako at naglaro siya sa amin. Grabe ang loyalty niya.”

Veteran forward Chris Camus had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Growling Tigers, who also got quality minutes from Nigerian rookie center Karim Abdul.

As for Parks, Jarencio said there’s no doubt that the NU player is very talented and it so happened that they came prepared for him.

“Magaling talaga ’yung bata [Parks],” said Jarencio. “Pero mukhang buhos na ’yung laro niya. Ewan ko lang kung may ipapakita pa siyang laro. Or siguro maganda lang talaga ang depensa namin sa kaniya.”

In the second game, University of the Philippines snapped an 18-game losing skid that started two seasons ago by beating University of the East, 69-61.

Mike Gamboa fired a game-high 19 points, including a huge three-pointer, in the closing minute as the Fighting Maroons finally booked a win since their 83-78 triumph over De La Salle on August 22, 2009, at The Arena in San Juan.

“Finally the monkeys are off our backs,” said UP head coach Ricky Dandan as the Diliman-based team went 0-14 last season with Aboy Castro and Boyet Fernadez as coaches.

“But we’re a work in progress. A lot of things still have to be done. At least now, the players now know how to win again,” he added.

Mike Silungan added 15 points and four steals for UP, which also got 13 markers from Jose Manuel off the bench.

Paul Zamar was the only Red Warrior in double figures with 14 points for rookie coach Jerry Codinera. --Joel Orellana

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Parks keys Bulldogs' second win

source: By Olmin Leyba, The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines - New recruits Bobby Ray Parks and Robby Celiz fired back-to-back treys in the last 45 seconds to power National U to an 83-80 shocker over San Beda College yesterday in the Filoil Flying V Hanes Pre-Season Premier Cup at the Arena.

Parks knocked down 20 points along with eight rebounds and four assists as the Bulldogs gained a second straight win and the Group A leadership.

University of Santo Tomas outlasted defending champion San Sebastian College in double overtime, 104-102, to improve to 2-1 behind NU in Group A.

Far Eastern University drubbed Adamson, 66-61, to kick off its bid in Group B.

JR Cawaling pulled down a defensive rebound then sank his freebies with 12.7 seconds left as the Tams salvaged the win after squandering a 10-point lead in the fourth period.

“Our game plan was to keep the game close. We know how strong San Beda is so we don’t expect to win in the first half. We really tried to control the tempo, tried to get good shoots and fortunately, our shots went in, especially when it mattered,” said NU coach Eric Altamirano.

Parks canned in his lone trey of the game to knot the count at 80 before they put the clamps on SBC’s next offensive, leading to a triple from the corner by Celiz, an ex-Rizal Technological U gunner, for an 83-80 bulge, 5.4 seconds left.

Celiz and company swarmed the Lions’ shooters in the next play to seal the win for the team that blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead and even faced a three-point deficit before Parks’ long connection.
SBC, which again played without Sudan Daniel, absorbed its second loss in three matches.
Jeric Fortuna and Clark Bautista shot crucial triples sandwiching two charities by rookie Kevin Ferrer as UST seized a 103-99 cushion then survived a wild finish in the final 40 seconds of the second OT to secure the hard-earned win.

“Hindi ganon kaganda ang laro, pati ang officiating, pero tatanggapin namin ito (We’ll take this win no matter how ugly it was played and officiated),” said UST coach Pido Jarencio, whose wards actually had the last shot in regulation but bungled the opportunity, a shortcoming repeated in the dying seconds of the first extension.

“Marami kaming mental mistakes at yung decision-making namin ang sasama (We had lots of mental lapses and our decision-making was awful especially in crunch time),” added Jarencio.

UST unleashed an 8-4 salvo capped by Clark Bautista’s triple to open up a four-point cushion with 40 ticks left in 2nd OT. Although SSC star Calvin Abueva flubbed a triple in the next play that UST cleared, the Stags regained possession after a non-call on Arwin Vitug’s duty foul against UST’s Kevin Ferrer. This led to basket by Jonathan Semira as SSC inched closer at 101-103, 15.1 ticks left.

Carmelo Afuang made one foul throw for a more breathable three-point edge then the Tigers watched Abueva score a split at the stripe and misfire a long heave to escape with the squeaker.

Cameroonian Karim Abdul fired 23 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for UST while Ferrer and Jeric Fortuna added 17 points apiece. Abueva led SSC with 33 markers and 18 boards but had eight errors.
Pippo Noundou had a 15-15 scoring-rebounding performance for FEU, which finally beat AdU after losing three successive meetings (UAAP second round, University Games and Philippine Collegiate Champions League).

The Tams broke away with a 21-8 exchange in the second canto en route to leads as big as 20 at 59-39. But the Falcons made one last stand and came to within 60-62 with still 1:14 left.

“There’s still the tendency to relax after a big lead,” FEU’s returning coach Bert Flores said in Filipino. “I told them they should play to win and not just play for themselves, especially against a contender like Adamson.”

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