MANILA — There’s no stopping Ateneo’s Greg Slaughter and National University’s Ray Parks from bringing their phenomenal plays to the UAAP hardcourt now.
The UAAP board yesterday cleared Slaughter and Parks—two of the most promising, if controversial, rookies this season—to see action in Season 74 of the men’s basketball tournament starting this weekend.
“It will allow us to focus on the games now,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black, who cited the 6-foot-11 Slaughter as among the vital cogs in the Blue Eagles’ bid for a fourth straight championship.
“We’re happy that he was able to get cleared. We’re now pretty confident because Greg makes our team much stronger.”
The UAAP board upheld the eligibility panel’s earlier recommendation that Slaughter, a mainstay of the Smart Gilas national team, did not violate the rule that prohibits players serving residency from playing for other teams in any tournament.
Playing for the country was an exception to the rule.
Officials, though, reversed the panel’s earlier decision to nix Parks— the son of former seven-time PBA Best Import Bobby Parks—after NU presented documents proving that his Filipino mother, Marifer Barbosa, worked as an overseas Filipino worker in the United States.
The league requires athletes who studied overseas to serve a two-year residency. But an exception to the rule are “children whose parents are OFWs and stationed abroad.”
“I think it would be good for the UAAP that Ray and Greg can play this season,” said Bobby, who also serves as a sports consultant for the Bulldogs.
Nigerian Alinko Mbah of the University of the Philippines and Cameroonian Karim Abdul of the University of Santo Tomas, however, have yet to submit a certification from the consulate, one of the papers required of foreign players.
UAAP president Ricky Palou of host Ateneo said Slaughter’s case was the most contentious during the three-hour meeting held at the Ateneo athletics office at the Blue Eagle Gym.
“We couldn’t come to a consensus so we had to vote,” said Palou. “[Ateneo’s] contention was since there were athletes in the past, in other sports, that had been playing for the national team while undergoing residency, the rule should not differ just because it’s basketball.”
Officials did not disclose the result of voting, but league sources said Slaughter got the go-signal on a close 4-3 vote.