SMART CLARK GIGA CITY – TnT Tropang Giga remains upbeat even with the prospect of top scorer Ray Parks Jr. not suiting up in Game 2 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Barangay Ginebra.
While the absence of the 6-foot-4 Parks will definitely hurt the Tropang Giga’s cause, head coach Bong Ravena believes the team’s morale is still high and it still believes that it can equally compete with the Kings.
Parks, who is averaging 22.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in the bubble season, suffered a strained left calf in the Tropang Giga’s 94-100 overtime loss in the opener of the best-of-seven title series.
“We expect everyone to step up in Game 2,” said Ravena prior to the Tropang Giga’s late afternoon practice at the Angeles University Foundation gym on Tuesday.
“We have to deal with that, face the grain na wala siya (Parks).”

Parks aggravated in Game One the injury he already had even before the start of the bubble season, forcing him to sit out the team’s opening game against Alaska.
The 27-year-old guard still led the team with 20 points, four rebounds, and four assists in the Game 1 loss but had a noticeable limp during the game.
“Kasama na rin siguro yun sa wear and tear ng laro niya kasi ang ganda ng nilalaro ni Ray,” added Ravena. “It’s so unfortunate na inabot siya ng ganun. Hopefully, maka-recover siya.”
Going down 2-0 in a series against a team as Barangay Ginebra is definitely a bad scenario, admitted Ravena.
“Yung pressure naman hindi nawawala yan. Ang dapat diyan kung paano mo madadala yung pressure ng hindi ka maaapektuhan. So it’s all mental,” he added. “Wala kaming choice kundi harapin yan.”
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