PARKS, INJURED!

CLARK – Sa isang hindi inaasahang pagkakataon, nadagdagan pa ang pagsubok na hinaharap ng TNT Tropang Giga.

Galing sa isang masakit na 94-100 pagkatalo sa overtime ang Tropang Giga sa kamay ng Barangay Ginebra sa Game 1 ng kanilang best-of-seven finals showdown sa PBA Philippine Cup nitong Linggo.

At ngayong Lunes, kinumpirma ni TNT coach Bong Ravena na mukhang hindi makalalaro ang kanilang main man na si Bobby Ray Parks sa Game 2 na gaganapin sa Miyerkules dahil sa calf injury.

Sinabi ni Ravena na nakuha ni Parks ang kanyang left calf strain injury sa Game 1 ng kanilang serye nitong Linggo sa Angeles University Foundation Arena dito.

Dagdag pa niya, worst-case scenario na rin na baka hindi makapaglaro sa Game 3 na gaganapin sa Biyernes si Parks dahil sa tinamong injury nito.

“Ray has left calf strain and is highly doubtful to play on Wednesday and we are hoping he could play on Friday,” saad ni Ravena sa isang pahayag.

Noong Game 1, kumamada si Parks ng 20 puntos pero nakita itong paika-ika na sa huling minuto ng overtime.

Naging matinding bakbakan talaga kasi ang paghaharap ng TNT at ng Ginebra nitong Game 1 at kinailangan pang magkaroon ng overtime period kung saan nanaig ang koponan ni two-time PBA Grand Slam champion coach Tim Cone.

Ayon kay Cone, talagang nanibago sila sa bubble setup ng conference.

“It’s a different feeling. Usually, we walk on the court in the first game of the finals with the crowd always there to lift us up,” sabi ni Cone. “There are times that when the players are already tired, they grab energy from the crowd. And not having them right now is much more difficult for us.”

Paliwanag ni Cone, malaking papel ang ginagampanan ng kanilang mga fans upang pataasin ang morale ng kanyang koponan.

Inihalimbawa ni Cone ang kanyang naranasan noong siya pa ang coach ng Alaska kung saan nakalaban nila ang Gin Kings na nasa ilalim ng pamumuno ng Living Legend na si Sonny Jaworski.

“It was such a huge thing to be going against Robert Jaworski and the Ginebra team back in the day. Same with Purefoods; we had a little rivalry that started with the ‘Manila Clasico.’ In fact, now, I got a lot of people coming up to me and saying: Coach I used to hate you, but you’re now my favorite coach,” sabi pa ni Cone.

“It’s very different now. Before the game, we talked about the fact that we have to find a way to lift ourselves up. We’re now doing the best that we can to keep ourselves focused, something that the crowd usually does for us,” dagdag niya.

Samantala, magpupulong ang PBA Board sa Huwebes kasama si Commissioner Willie Marcial ukol sa usapin sa individual awards.

Ang mga regular awards na ibinibigay sa PBA season ay ang Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Best Player of the Conference, Mythical Five, Mythical Second Team, Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award, Most Improved Player at All-Defensive Team.

Ang nasabing mga individual awards ay ibinabase sa statistics ng isang player sa buong season na kinabibilangan ng Philippine Cup, Commissioner’s Cup at Governor’s Cup.

Nadiskaril ang asam na pang-pitong sunod na MVP trophy ni San Miguel superstar center June Mar Fajardo nang magkaroon ng leg injury kaya hindi siya nakasama sa PBA ‘bubble’.

Kasalukuyang nangunguna sa statistical race si Parks na may 38.3 Statistical Points kasunod sina Calvin Abueva (37.1 SPs) ng Phoenix, CJ Perez ng TerraFirma (35.7 SPs), Phoenix top scorer Matthew Wright (35.6 SPs) at NorthPort big man Christian Standhardinger (34.6 SPs).