TRAVEL buddies Bobby Ray Parks and Scottie Thompson had been talking about breakout games and thrilling finishes during trips from home to the playing arenas and back during the Aspirants Cup.
Finally the scene that they had been imagining during the long drives — the former lives in Alabang and the latter in Las Piñas — became a reality on Thursday.
Game Two of the Aspirants Cup final at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig was the setting for Thompson’s heroics, his endgame brilliance leading Hapee to a 93-91 overtime victory over Cagayan Valley and a sweep of the Aspirants Cup finals.
[See Scottie Thompson defensive gems help Hapee nip Cagayan Valley in OT and claim D-League title on first try]
The breakout game for Thompson, who finished with 11 points and five steals in Game Two, came after Parks, the Aspirants Cup MVP, went down with a dislocated right shoulder just a few minutes after tipoff.
Parks said he has been waiting for Thompson’s emergence this conference, talking about it with him all the time.
“Kasabay ko parati si Thompson kasi Alabang ako, Las Piñas siya. Every time na kasabay ko siya, sinasabi ko sa kanya, ‘Bro, hinihintay ko lang ’yung breakout game mo.’ Nagpapakita na siya ng glimpse of it during the conference eh,” said Parks.
Parks was glad that Thompson made the most out of the opportunity.
“Given the opportunity today, nagpakita talaga siya. Nag-shine talaga siya,” said Parks.
“He was MVP today,” Parks said.
During the postgame celebration, Parks joined his teammates despite wearing a sling in his right shoulder, careful not to re-injure it again.
“Isang kamay lang. Woo!,” said Parks while demonstrating the move to the media. “Tapos ’yung mga fans, ayoko na nga dahil sa right shoulder ko. Pero nakaka-bless ’yung mga fans talaga.”
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