Undermanned NLEX looks to Parks for lift

MANILA, Philippines — Prized recruit Ray Parks may just provide the needed lift when the Road Warriors play minus head coach Boyet Fernandez and five other players in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup in the next three weeks.

Fernandez, who also mentors San Beda in the NCAA, will leave for Lithuania Saturday as the Red Lions gear up for this season’s collegiate wars.

Ola Adeogun, Baser Amer, Art dela Cruz, Kyle Pascual and Ryusei Koga, the five San Beda players who also play for NLEX, will join Fernandez in the trip where they will train and compete with European collegiate teams.

“We’re hoping Parks can join us by Tuesday,” said NLEX team manager Ronald Dulatre. “He already started practicing with us.”

The Road Warriors recruited Parks before the conference kicked off, but the two-time UAAP Most Valuable Player from National University has yet to play due to school commitments.

Parks’ expected debut, though, may be timely as the five-time champions (3-0) compete with a depleted roster in their next three games against Cafe France (2-1) on April 8, Cagayan Valley (0-2) and Derulo Accelero (0-2).