Spotlight on Parks, NCAA stars as rookie hopefuls get tested

The lesser known names aced test after test during Wednesday’s PBA Draft combine, but the spotlight was mostly on the three rookies expected to crowd the early picks: many-time Gilas Pilipinas member Ray Parks Jr., Lyceum star CJ Perez and San Beda standout Robert Bolick.

Bong Ramos, whose Blackwater picks second in the Draft on Sunday and will have a shot at picking one of the three players, was all praises for Parks, but he isn’t taking his eyes off the two NCAA products either.

“He’s a veteran,” said the Blackwater coach. “He has been playing as a professional. He’s had multiple stints (in different leagues) prior to Alab, too.”

Parks had long deferred his entry to the PBA, putting him in a class that includes Bolick and Perez, who have dueled for the NCAA crown for the last two years.

“Robert has been a proven winner. He’s helped San Beda win multiple championships,” said Ramos. “CJ is very versatile as well.”

Those outside of the top three picks, meanwhile, will look to fill an immediate need in their rosters.

“We’re looking for a really stable, reliable, legitimate point guard,” noted Louie Alas, whose Phoenix squad will pick twice in the first round (4th and 12th).

Columbian will pick first during the Draft, which has in its pool the likes of Javee Mocon of San Beda, JP Calvo and Bong Quinto of Letran, Michael Calisaan of San Sebastian, Rob Manalang of Adamson, Adrian Wong of Ateneo,  Abu Tratter of La Salle, Paul Desiderio of UP, Jayjay Alejandro and Matt Salem of NU, Ron Dennison of FEU, and Jeepy Faundo of UST.

Trevis Jackson, a Filipino-American out of Sacramento State, is looking to join the fray.

NorthPort will make the third selection in event slated at Robinsons Manila. Meralco rounds out the top five.

“I’m excited to see where I’m going, excited to see which teams want me and excited to play at this level,” said Parks, who has logged tours of duty with the national team, in the NBA D-League, and in the Asean Basketball League.

Among those who topped the anthropometry tests were John Ragasa of Victoria Sports, who topped the shuttle run in 21.97 seconds and Joe Trinidad of FEU who ran the 3/4 court sprint in 3.25 seconds.

Faundo logged the highest vertical leap with 33.29 inches, while Ateneo forward Dan Wong logged a jump height of 39.19 inches.

Mapua guard CJ Isit recorded the fastest time in lane agility (11.2 seconds) and had an 84-percent result in the reaction test.