RAY PARKS and the rest of the Mandaluyong El Tigre continued to roar in the MPBL Datu Cup.
On Wednesday night, the second generation cager produced another productive performance in powering the Dataland-backed El Tigre to a 77-75 win over the Parañaque Patriots-F2 Logistics at the Filoil Flying V Arena.
Parks, son of the late seven-time PBA Best Import and league Hall of Famer Bobby Parks, knocked in 26 points, dished out six assists and pulled down five rebounds to power the El Tigre to their sixth straight win.
The El Tigre improved their win-loss record to 6-1 to forge a four-way tie with the Bataan Risers, Manila Stars and the San Juan Knights, who posted a convincing 80-59 win over the Zamboanga Valientes in the second game.
San Juan, backed by Go-For-Gold, bucked a slow start before pouring their might in the second half.
The Knights outscored the Family’s Brand Sardines-sponsored Valientes in the third period, 24-10, to turn things around. San Juan held Zamboanga without a field goal for nearly a seven-minute stretch in the third period then unloaded a blistering 17-0 run to turn a close game into a rout.
“I don’t know why we had a slow start,” ex-Ginebra stalwart John Wilson, who now plays for San Juan, told BusinessWorld. “But I was vocal to them at half time. I encouraged them to give everything they got because we have relievers on this team who can substitute them each time they need a breather.”
The loss was the fourth in eight games for the Valientes, who dropped their second consecutive match. The team drew inspiration from their visitors — PBA guards Mark Barroca of Magnolia Star Hotshots and Chico Lanete of the San Miguel Beermen, both of whom came from the province of Zamboanga.
But while these two players provided the inspiration for the Valientes, Wilson unleashed the devastation as he poured in 15 of his 23 points for the Knights, who got back on the win column after suffering their first loss in the tournament put up by Senator Manny Pacquiao with PBA legend and former MVP Kenneth Duremdes serving as commissioner. — Rey Joble
