BOBBY Ray Parks scored 32 points and hit the biggest shots of the game as National University thumped La Salle, 72-62, and moved to fourth place in the UAAP seniors basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Bulldogs took over fourth spot with a 7-4 win-loss slate, overtaking La Salle, which dropped to 7-5.
Parks helped the Bulldogs take control when he scored 17 points in the third quarter. He also beat the 24-second shot clock twice in the fourth to personally douse the Green Archers’ comeback attempts.
It was Parks’ third 30-point game of the season and sixth in his UAAP career.
NU coach Eric Altamirano credited the team’s defense but it was the Bulldogs’ 47-32 edge off the boards which made the difference.
“Our goal was to win the rebounding battle because La Salle is the No. 1 team in rebounding,” said Altamirano. “We challenged the boys to control the boards.”
The Bulldogs, who were coming off a favorable decision from the UAAP board to replay the game that ended in a 75-77 loss to Far Eastern University, finished the second period on a 6-0 run to grab a 36-26 lead.
The Green Archers trimmed the deficit to nine points, 61-52, but Parks beat the shot clock in the next play followed by an Emmanuel Mbe fastbreak basket. Another Parks buzzer-beater near the two-minute mark sealed the win.
The 19-year-old Parks also had eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks while point guard Joshua Alolino added 11 points.
Jeron Teng had a quiet 20-point game while Almond Vosotros fired 13 markers for the Green Archers, who had LA Revilla back from an ankle injury.
The scores:
NU (72) – Parks 32, Alolino 11, Rosario 6, Khobuntin 6, De Guzman 6, Mbe 4, Javillonar 4, Villamor 3, Singh 0, Rono 0, Betayene 0.
DLSU (62) – Teng 20, Vosotros 13, Van Opstal 7, N. Torres 6, Mendoza 4, T. Torres 3, Manguera 3, Andrada 2, Tampus 2, Revilla 2, Webb 0.
Quarterscores: 16-15; 36-26; 56-45; 72-62.
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