Parks hits game-winner as NU beats Adamson

MANILA, Philippines — Reigning back-to-back UAAP MVP Bobby Ray Parks said the National University (NU) Bulldogs have a lot of scorers right now and he could just give the scoring cudgels to his teammates.

But this game was an exception.

Parks hit the game-winning jumper with 3.2 seconds remaining for a 70-68 overtime victory over the Adamson University Soaring Falcons in the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup at The Arena Monday, May 6.

“Bobby Ray willed it for us. He carried the team and he just found a way to win it for us,” said NU head coach Eric Altamirano. “It was a tough game and an acid test especially playing against a UAAP team.”

The Bulldogs gained headway early in the game behind Alfred Aroga, Cederick Labing-isa and Mark De Guzman, 33-21, but the Falcons closed the gap as Axel Inigo and Dawn Ochea sank two consecutive treys, 27-33, to end the first half.

Coach Leo Austria’s charges found refuge in unheralded players Lloyd Abrigo and Matthew Bernabe to make it a close game in the second half. Abrigo tied the game in regulation with his two free throws, 62-62, before Parks missed a layup as time expired.

Swingman Jericho Cruz towed Adamson to a 68-64 advantage in the extra period but the Bulldogs dropped a 6-0 run punctuated by Parks’ clutch pull-up jumper to seal NU’s sixth straight win in the tournament.

“There are a lot of scorers in the team right now and I could just give it to them,” quipped Parks, who finished the game with a game-high 28 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Aroga tallied 20 markers and grabbed 16 rebounds for the Bulldogs’ cause.

Cruz led the Falcons, which slid to a 1-2 win-loss record, with his 16 points while Abrigo had 12. Cameroonian Ingrid Sewa had a disappointing game for Adamson as he could only muster eight points. – Rappler.com