Parks sizzles as NU outplays DLSU
Bobby Ray Parks continues to let his game do the talking.
The reigning league MVP, Parks torched La Salle with 32 points–17 coming in a sizzling third-quarter performance–as host National University seized solo fourth with a 72-62 victory Sunday in the UAAP Season 75 men’s basketball action at the MOA Arena.
With the Green Archers noticeably trying to get under his skin, Parks kept his composure and repeatedly came through with a dagger of a bucket, clearly spelling the big difference for the Bulldogs’ seventh win in 11 outings.
It was the third 30-and-more point outing by Parks this season and his sixth in the league but he was also quick to credit his teammates, saying: “It’s really not about the points. It’s about my teammates who give me open shots. And the most important thing is we won the game.”
“Of course, it (trash-talking) fired me up,” stated Parks, who also had eight boards, three assists and two blocks against six turnovers in 32 minutes of play.
Starting playmaker Joshua Alolino contributed 11 points while Glenn Khobuntin made a commendable job hounding La Salle ace Jeron Teng aside from scoring six and collecting a team-high nine rebounds for NU, which gained a big break on Friday when the UAAP Board overruled commissioner Ato Badolato’s ruling and ordered a replay of their second-round meeting with Far Eastern University tentatively set on September 23.
“Of course, we’re happy with the decision,” beamed NU coach Eric Altamirano. “We used that good favor to inspire us for this game. Lahat very excited. We were given a second lease on life and we took advantage of that.”
Teng, who sizzled with 35 points in their 87-86 double-overtime win in the two teams’ first-round meeting last August 18, had a team-high 20 points on a rough 9-of-21 shooting while diminutive Almond Vosotros scattered all of his 13 markers in the second half but the Green Archers failed to find an answer against Parks and, in the process, dropped to 7-5.
Held down to just eight in the first half, Parks showed up locked and loaded in the third, turning into a one-man offensive wrecking machine and giving the Bulldogs a big 53-37 spread.
The Green Archers repeatedly tried to mount a comeback in the fourth and pulled closest at 52-61 but Parks came up with his own attack, swishing through two shot-clock beating jumpers in the stretch to keep the Bulldogs in command.
Despite the important win, Altamirano reminded his players to stay on their toes, saying: “We’re not thinking ahead. We’re trying to approach it one game at a time. We’re facing Ateneo on Thursday and it’s gonna be a tough match-up for us.”
