09 APRIL 2019 - Copy

Tuesday, 9 April 2019
Daily Tribune
WILL HE STAY OR GO?
SPORTS
15
Parks takes sweet time
That’s what we are still trying to figure out
right now: What will be the next chapter
By John Bryan Ulanday
After bombing out in the Asean Basketball League
(ABL), Ray Parks has yet to address rumors he won’t
be playing a single minute for Blackwater when the
Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup
opens next month.
The 26-year-old playmaker said he would like to take
a breather following a grueling stint for San Miguel-Alab
Pilipinas, which was sent packing by Hongkong Eastern
in the quarterfinals of the regional pay-for-play basketball
league.
“It’s been good, tough stint in the ABL,” said Parks, the
reigning ABL local Most Valuable Player, at the sidelines
of the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals last Sunday.
“But I needed to rest now. I’ve been playing three
straight years, so I needed a break.”
I’m still pondering on my thoughts.
Multiple sources bared that Parks will not don the Elite
jersey after making him as the second overall pick in the
PBA Annual Rookie Draft last December.
Insiders said a multi-player deal is in the works. It
would send Parks to Meralco while Bolts guard Baser
Amer would join Talk ‘N Text. The KaTropa, meanwhile,
would ship Jericho Cruz to the Elite to complete the
transaction.
Parks confirmed nothing is final at the moment as his
camp is still trying to map out the “next chapter” of his
basketball career.
“That’s what we are still trying to figure out right
now: What will be the next chapter?” said the son of
seven-time PBA Best Import awardee Bobby Ray Parks.
“I’m still pondering on my thoughts, trying to figure
out the best situation not only for me, but also for my
family. I am the breadwinner in the family so I have
to help out a lot.”
Parks’ business manager Charlie Dy, however,
doused cold water on the burning trade talks, saying
Parks is set to attend Blackwater’s training in the next
couple of days after wrapping up the Philippine Cup
with a dismal 2-9 win-loss card.
“Yes, he will be reporting to Blackwater practice,”
Dy told Daily Tribune.
“He’ll rest first then practice with Blackwater,
maybe after the Holy Week.”
Parks said nothing is cast in stone.
“As of now, they (the Elite) hold my rights. But I
haven’t signed anything yet,” he said.
UVC parades Thai star
With Sutadta on board, we will have
another potent scoring option
PLDT and Cignal seek to join Petron in the semifinals
when they collide with separate foes in the quarterfinals
of the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix today at the Filoil
Flying V Centre.
Armed with a twice-to-beat edge, the Power Hitters aim
to book a return flight to the semis when they clash with
dangerous Generika-Ayala at 4:15 p.m. while the HD
Spikers face United VC in the 7 p.m. main encounter
of this prestigious women’s club league backed
by Asics, Mueller, Mikasa, Senoh, Team Rebel
Sports, Bizooku, UCPB Gen, Cocolife, Hotel
Sogo and Data Project.
Petron, which swept the classifications to
emerge as top seed in the quarterfinals, made
short work of Sta. Lucia to become the first team
in the best-of-three semifinal series.
On the other hand, the Blaze Spikers’
main rival — F2 Logistics — was not as
fortunate as it suffered a nail-biting
fives-set loss to Foton in the other
quarterfinal battle.
That makes this explosive
double-header that has ESPN5 and
5Plus as broadcast partners very
exciting as both Generika-Ayala and
United VC are optimistic that they
can forge a rubber match if they play
superb volleyball from start to finish.
United VC, for one, will be bringing
in a new import in Thai star Sutadta
Chuewulim to revive its title hopes after
Magnolia displayed fighting form as it dominated Ginebra,
106-77, to force a rubber match in their Philippine Basketball
Association Philippine Cup best-of-three quarterfinal series
Monday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Still smarting from a 75-86 loss in Game 1, the
Hotshots came out firing early to build a 51-38 halftime
lead en route to the easy victory.
It was the largest winning margin of the
Hotshots in 11 years since beating the Kings,
103-76, in the elimination round of the Philippine
Cup in 2008.
SUTADTA Chuewulim of Thailand
will make her debut when United VC
battles Cignal in the quarterfinals of
the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix.
failing to clinch the quarterfinal bonus.
Chuewulim, who arrived Sunday and joined United VC
practice on Monday, is tipped to hit the ground running as
she is no stranger to Philippine brand of volleyball. In fact,
she already saw action for Cagayan Valley in the Shakey’s
V-League before campaigning for guest team EST Cola in the
PSL Invitational Conference in 2016.
Although the Thai juniors team fell prey to veteran-laden RC
Cola-Army in the finals, Chuewulim still made her presence felt
as she brought home the Best Outside Spiker award.
“With Sutadta on board, we will have another potent
scoring option,” said Ylaya, adding that the Thai will replace
American Tai Manu-Olevao in their rotation.
“We played without an import for four games. We
could have bagged a twice-to-beat edge had we played
with an import in our past few games. But now that
Sutadta is here, we expect to be competitive to give
Cignal a very good fight.”
But bringing down the HD Spikers is easier said
than done.
Cignal is beaming with confidence as imports
Erica Wilson and Anastasiya Artemeva are
playing beautiful music with local stars like
Rachel Anne Daquis, Acy Masangkay, Mylene
Paat and Janine Navarro.
Cignal coach Edgar Barroga said they
will do their best to win over United VC
because yielding their twice-to-beat edge
will pressure them in the sudden-death.
“I don’t want to focus on that (twiceto-beat
advantage). We will play as if
it’s a do-or-die match,” said Barroga,
who knows that they have to neutralize
Alohi Robins-Hardy, Kalei Mau and
import Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani if they
want to advance.
Hotshots force ‘rubber’
3-way fight looms
Thailand has also underscored its readiness to go
for the crown, sending 39 players, led by veteran
Yupaporn Kawinpakorn
It will be a toss-up among the leading players of Taiwan, Thailand
and the host country as they set out for a duel of shot-making, iron play
and putting in the ICTSI Manila Golf Ladies Classic, which gets going
tomorrow at the Manila Golf Club inside Forbes Park.
Babe Liu, the No. 3 player in the current LPGA of Taiwan ranking,
along with joint no. 5 Hsin Lee and Lin Tzu-Chi and Ching Huang, banner
the 25-strong player roster from Taiwan, ready to slug it out with the
best in the $100,000 championship.
Thailand has also underscored its readiness to go for the crown,
sending 39 players, led by veteran Yupaporn Kawinpakorn, who is
seeking a second LPGT crown after dominating the Pradera Verde leg
of the circuit last December.
Thanutra Boonraksasat, who turned back Princess Superal to snare
the last LPGT crown at Manila Southwoods last month, is also back for
a shot at a second straight championship.
LPGT leg winners Onkanok Soisuwan, Supakchaya Pattaranakrueang and
Wannasiri Sirisampant along with Chatprapa Siriprakob, Saraporn Chamchoi
and Ornnicha Konsunthea are also coming into the event in top form and
are brimming with confidence, guaranteeing a spirited battle for top honors.
But a compact nine-player local side will be more than ready to
defend its turf with Superal hoping to recall her fierce form on a course
that best suits her game with the backing of fellow former Symetra Tour
campaigners Mia Piccio and Cyna Rodriguez along with Chihiro Ikeda,
Daniella Uy, Marvi Monsalve, Alex Etter and Gretchen Villacencio.
Though relatively flat, the par-71 MGC is expected to provide a
different kind of challenge for the competing 97-player field, including
seven amateurs, with its narrow fairways, hazards and fairways and
greenside bunkers that come into play in most holes.
With that, the Hotshots tied the series and set the stage
for a sudden-death Game 3 also at the same Cubao venue.
Six players scored in double digits for the Hotshots
led by Ian Sangalang with 21 points and nine rebounds
in just 21 minutes of action.
Robbie Herndon also tallied 18 points off the bench
while Jio Jalalon posted 17 points, five rebounds, six
assists and five steals.
Meanwhile, Sol Mercado was the only bright spot
for the Kings with his 13 points, six rebounds and
three assists.
JBU
LIU
RAY Parks attacks the basket against a Turkish defender during the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament
in this file photo.
Batang Gilas in good hands
It was coach Sandy’s name
that got more and more
traction until the SBP finally
made it official
After so many months in limbo, Batang
Gilas finally has a semblance of stability,
especially with the Samahang Basketbol
ng Pilipinas (SBP) appointing a new head
coach in long-time Ateneo de Manila
University mentor Sandy Arespacochaga.
It was not much of a surprise to those
who, in one way or another, were in the
loop, so to speak. For months, several
names have been floated as possible
replacements to former Batang Gilas
coach Josh Reyes. Tab Baldwin, who is
coach Sandy’s mentor in Ateneo, was for
many, the leading candidate.
In recent weeks, however, it was
coach Sandy’s name that got more and
more traction until the SBP finally made
it official.
Right off the bat, it was a lauded
decision because of his reputation as a
very level-headed bench presence and
very effective teacher of the game.
I know this first-hand, having had the
privilege of being coach Sandy’s colleague
(as a teacher) in Ateneo (he taught
Araling Panlipunan for years before
going into coaching full-time) and also
having seen him help mold the character
of so many Blue Eagles over the years.
It’s also good that, in his first on-cam
interview with CNN Philippines after
the official announcement, coach Sandy
deflected a lot of credit for Batang Gilas’
success to the team’s former coaches,
especially coach Josh, who helmed the
team when they qualified to the FIBA
U19 World Cup.
It’s clear that coach Sandy appreciates
the groundwork that has been laid out by
the previous coaches, but it’s also very
good to know that he has a clear vision
for the future of Batang Gilas.
This early, coach Sandy understands
the dire situation of the team, especially
with both the U19 World Cup and U16 Asia
Championship taking place in a couple of
months’ time. He also knows the value of
preparing extra early for next year’s FIBA
U18 Asia Championship.
I know for a fact coach Sandy hit
the ground running, meeting as many
Hot Take Hoops
Enzo Flojo
coaches and scouts who can provide the
best possible collection of youth talents for
Batang Gilas.
He said he intends to keep last year’s
U18 squad as intact as possible for the U19
World Cup this year and begin training
the U16 squad and next year’s U18 pool in
earnest as well.
Who are the players who can possibly
be called up by coach Sandy?
He has a clear vision for the future
of Batang Gilas.
Well, the key generations for this year
and next year are those born from 2000-2004.
Batang Gilas will likely be composed of the best
players born 2000-2002 for the U19 World Cup
and then the best players born 2003-2004 for
the U16 Asia tourney. Those born 2002-2004
will probably be called up for next year’s U18
Asia as well.
Right off the top of my head, the biggest
names I expect to be invited include the
following (classified by year born):
Born 2000: AJ Edu, Dalph Panopio,
Rhayyan Amsali, Dave Ildefonso and Mark
Nonoy
Born 2001: Gerry Abadiano, Carl Tamayo,
Geo Chiu and Terrence Fortea
Born 2002: Kai Sotto, Raven Cortez,
Forth Padrigao and Josh Lazaro
Born 2003: Francis Lopez, Kenji
Duremdes, Ian Espinosa and Kean Baclaan
Born 2004: Aaron Ganal, Ethan Alian,
Mason Amos and Prince Alao
There are so many more talented players,
of course, and I’m 100 percent confident
coach Sandy and his staff will make sure
our country will be well-represented by the
Batang Gilas in the tournaments they will join
this year and next.
Laban Pilipinas!