A cut above the rest
It’s not easy when your old man is throwing a big shadow in front of you. Take the case of Ray Parks, son of the late seven- time PBA Best Import and Hall of Famer Bobby Parks, who set a standard among reinforcements who played in Asia’s first play- for- pay league.
So when his son, Ray Ray, started to play ball, everyone was in anticipation on what this second generation cager could do.
The son had also risen and proved to everyone that he could live up to his father’s basketball legacy.
Ray had won back-to-back MVPs, both in the UAAP and the ABL and helped his team, Alab Pilipinas, win a title. The young Parks also represented the national team many times before and won the gold medals in different levels.
Now as part of the fledgling yet growing Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), Parks is now beginning to strut his wares and for three games, the 6- foot- 3 guard showed why he is the total package.
In the Mandaluyong El Tigre’s latest win, Parks dominated the game as he ended up three steals away from completing a quadruple-double performance. His stats line were staggering — 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and a league-record seven steals.
His head coach, Mac Cuan, believes Parks could have set a rare quadruple-double had he decided not to pull the punches. Instead of letting his ward continue to pile up the numbers, he felt he had to prevent Parks from suffering a possible injury had he allowed him to play more.
But Parks’ performance was proof enough of what he can bring to the table and in three games so far, he showed to everyone that he is a cut above the rest.
We may only see Parks at least for a season in the MPBL, a league which he considered as a pit stop, but fans could savor every moment while they can seeing one of the best ever players to grace the fastest growing regional basketball league in the country put up by Senator Manny Pacquiao with PBA legend Kenneth Duremdes serving as commissioner.
Let the fans — all over the Philippines — to see Parks at full flight and let the league enjoy having probably the best player they had ever seen in action.