Ray Parks Jr. was a workhorse for the Tropang Giga. —PHOTO COURTESY OF PBA IMAGES
In his own words, Ray Parks Jr. is “tired of being forgotten.”
“I feel like I’ve been slept on,” the two-way wingman of TNT said early in the PBA Philippine Cup. He certainly finished the tournament trying to prove to everyone he is worthy of the spotlight, emerging as the statistical race winner despite missing the last three games of the championship series.
Parks, son of the late seven-time best import awardee Bobby Ray, finished with 38.2 statistical points average. The Tropang Giga lost to Barangay Ginebra in the championship series, four games to one.
Finishing in the top five were Phoenix’s Calvin Abueva (37.1), Terrafirma’s CJ Perez (35.7), Phoenix’s Matthew Wright (35.65) and TNT teammate RR Pogoy (35.64).
Parks had a 40-point output in his first game in the bubble tournament at Angeles University Foundation inside Smart Clark Giga City and after that performance, he said in a TV interview that he was tired of always being overlooked.
“You know, man, all the motivation that I need is already out there,” he said. “And I still have that burning desire. So you know, I have more than enough fuel in the tank to be motivated.”
Huge performances in the playoffs jacked up the numbers of Ginebra’s Stanley Pringle (34.8) and Japeth Aguilar (32.9). Pringle narrowly missed the Top Five while Aguilar rallied from way out to finish at eighth in the race for the tournament’s best individual performer.
The closeness of the statistical race means voters will have no clear choice for the award.
“Well that’s going to be tough for you all (people voting),” Pringle had earlier said. “You’d have so many players to choose from.”
Scottie Thompson (with 32.8 at No. 9) is the third Ginebra player making the Top 25, who are official contenders for the “Special Five” to be honored by the PBA in a special awards rites in January.
Also making the Top 10 are NorthPort’s Christian Standhardinger (34.6) and Phoenix’s Jason Perkins (32.7).
NLEX’s Kiefer Ravena (32.6) and San Miguel Beer’s Moala Tautuaa (32.5) missed the Top 10 by a hairline.
They are followed by Paul Lee, Chris Newsome, Jayson Castro, Arwind Santos, Vic Manuel, Kevin Alas, Poy Erram, Ian Sangalang, Javee Mocon, Marcio Lassiter, Justin Chua, JR Quiñahan and Robert Herndon to round out the Top 25.
The top rookies were Terrafirma’s Roosevelt Adams (20.3), Meralco’s Aaron Black (17.3), Alaska’s Barkley Ebona (16.3), Magnolia’s Aris Dionisio (15.9) and Ginebra’s Arvin Tolentino (15.5).