MUCH-HYPED rookie Bobby Ray Parks outshone the bounceback game of fellow rookie Kiefer Ravena as he notched a league-record 30 points in leading the National University Bulldogs to a 75-66 win over the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in the 74th UAAP basketball tournament yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum.
Ravena of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, scored 24 points and helped the defending champions down the La Salle Green Archers, 81-72, in their game last Saturday.
However, Parks did him better and was simply too hot to handle yesterday as he broke the rookie record for points (25) set by UP’s Mike Gamboa two years ago.
Not only that, Parks scored when the Bulldogs needed it the most as he tallied eight in the final canto to help his squad equalize their record at 1-1 (win-loss) heading into their anticipated match-up with Ravena this Thursday.
NU started off like a house on fire as they zoomed ahead, 14-1, with Parks accounting for half of those. But the Maroons, who are coming off their first victory in 19 games spanning the last two seasons, fought right back and rode the efforts of Jett Manuel and Jelo Montecastro, who combined for 23 of UP’s 28-point output in the second period, to grab the driver’s seat, 43-40, at halftime.
Parks anchored a 9-2 run that effectively put NU in front, 49-45. Later in the fourth, Parks hit three freethrows that provided a cushion after UP got close, 60-65, with 2:41 left in the game.
Dennis Villamor iced the game with a trifecta from the baseline off a great inbound pass from Parks on their next offensive set.
Parks topped off his performance with nine rebounds, three assists and two steals. Emmanuel Mbe finished with 10 points.
Manuel led the Maroons with 18 markers while Mike Silungan and Mike Gamboa finished with a combined 14./Correspondent Jonas Paneiro