AS the wins start to pile up, the targets on their backs are getting bigger and bigger for Ray Parks and the Mandaluyong El Tigre.
Parks was at it again on Wednesday night as he finished with 26 points, six assists and five rebounds in the El Tigre's narrow 77-75 win over the Paranaque Patriots- the sixth straight for the team after an opening loss to Muntinlupa.
Parks is averaging 21.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and seven assists despite being the focal point of opposing teams' defenses - something that's cool with the son of seven-time PBA best import awardee Bobby Parks.
"Of course. Not just me but the whole team anyway," said Parks when asked if he feels like a target this season. "I always play with a chip on my shoulder. I feel like I got to outwork everybody."
The former UAAP MVP doesn't mind being the focus of rival teams’ defense, as long as it’s clean defense.
"I have to prove myself each and every game, no matter where you're at - at the end of the day, you're only as good as your last game," said Parks. "I respect them that they're going at me. But as long as it's a clean way of doing it then I'm fine with it."
For coach Mac Cuan, the more they become a target, the more they should play better and he claimed not seeing that in their match against Paranaque.
Even Parks admitted that they didn't deserve the win.
"If we are a target then we should step up some more. It should be a challenge," said Cuan. "But the way we played today, if we play like this, any team can beat us."
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