Photo by Jan Dizon
MANILA — Dimunitive Jeric Fortuna took the limelight away from National University’s celebrated rookie Ray Parks.
What was hyped to be the debut of a celebrated rookie turned into an affirmation of a coach’s faith in his veteran playmaker as Fortuna knocked in all but two of his team’s eight points in overtime to help the Tigers escape the Bulldogs, 73-72, in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament yesterday at the Araneta Coliseum.
University of the Philippines, which had a disastrous 0-14 run last season, got an early taste of victory with a 69-61 decision over the University of the East in the second game.
The 5-foot-7 Fortuna—whose triple also forged the extra period with 1:13 left—finished with 23 points, six rebounds and a couple of assists.
“[Fortuna] is already made,” UST coach Pido Jarencio said of the senior guard, who shot 19 of his total output in the second half. “For me, he’s one of the best point guards this season.”
Parks, hoping to back up all the hype, missed on a potential game-winner as UST rookie Kevin Ferrer grabbed a crucial rebound with seven-tenths of a second left.
“It’s the first game, got to shake off some cobwebs,” said Parks, the son of seven-time PBA Best Import Bobby Parks. “We’ve got to bounce back in the next game. We’re a rookie team, so next game I’ve got to come out with it.”
Parks debuted with 16 points but shot just 5-of-20 from the field. He strutted his all-around game, though, collecting nine rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
A lot of his scoring struggles had to do with the defense applied on him by Jeric Teng, who stuck to the former PH youth star like a leech right from the opening seconds of the match.
UST and UP joined opening-day winners Ateneo and Far Eastern University for the early lead.
“I feel more relieved than anything else,” said new UP coach Ricky Dandan. “In the end, it was really our defense that made the difference. We couldn’t score but we did not allow them to score in bundles also, so that kept them at bay.”
Mike Gamboa fired 12 of his 19 points from three-point range to lead the Maroons, who snapped an 18-game losing streak in the league.
“Finally. I think we’ve all been waiting for this,” said UP cager Mike Silungan, the Filipino-American forward who had 15 points, two boards and four steals on his first win with the Maroons.
“It feels good but we can’t stop working. This is just motivation for us to win again.”
Silungan, a celebrated rookie last year, also finally nailed his first victory in the UAAP.
The Maroons’ last win in the league was against La Salle on Aug. 22, 2009, 83-78, while the Diliman crew’s last win over the Warriors was on Sept. 3, 2006, 90-85.
UST also struggled last season and have been under the radar in the preseason, but yesterday’s triumph over a squad penciled to make it to the Final Four this year should make teams give the Tigers a second look.
Backing up Fortuna’s clutch plays were Ferrer and Chris Camus, who both posted double-double numbers.
“The players have a different mind-set now, it’s redemption year,” Jarencio said of his Tigers, who had a woeful seventh-place finish last season. “We don’t have anywhere else to go but up.”
Ferrrer, who didn’t get as much of the spotlight as incoming newbies Parks and the Ateneo pair of Greg Slaughter and Kiefer Ravena, had 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Camus got the Tigers off to a strong start to finish with 10 points, 10 boards and two steals.
The scores:
First Game
UST 73—Fortuna 23, Ferrer 12, Camus 10, Teng 9, Afuang 6, Abdul 5, Pe 4, Vigil 2, Sheriff 2, Tan 0, Lao 0, Ungria 0.
NATIONAL U 72—Villamor 19, Parks 16, Mbe 13, Khobuntin 8, Javillonar 5, Ignacio 4, Labing-isa 3, Alolino 2, Magat 2, Celiz 0, Terso 0, Singh 0.
Quarters: 17-14, 31-33, 44-44, 65-65 (reg.), 73-72 (OT)
Second Game
UP 69—Gamboa 19, Silungan 15, Manuel 13, Gomez 9, Montecastro 5, Maniego 3, Gingerich 3, Romero 2, Mbah 0, Juruena 0.
UE 61—Zamar 14, Noble 8, Javier 6, Santos 5, Sumang 4, Enguio 4, Sumido 4, Zosa 3, Chavez 3, Casajeros 3, Flores 3, Tagarda 2, Duran 2.
Quarters: 22-11, 39-31, 57-47, 69-61