DESPITE no longer playing for National University, former star player Bobby Ray Parks still feels he’s very much a part of the Bulldogs especially after winning their first UAAP men’s basketball title in the last 60 years.
“I’m here,” said Parks in a brief chat with Spin.ph as he joined his teammates in celebrating at midcourt of the Smart-Araneta Coliseum shortly after the 75-59 win over the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in the decisive game of the best-of-three Finals.
The two-time league MVP said he doesn’t feel any sense of regret not being part of this year’s title run as he feels very proud of what his teammates accomplished.
“Words can’t explain how proud I am. It’s been a long wait,” he stressed.
After decades of one losing season after another, the Bulldogs began to turn things around in 2011 following the arrival of Parks, easily the biggest recruit of the school since the Sy family took control of NU.
Yet, despite his presence, the Bulldogs failed to win a title, and even ended up being eliminated during the 2013 Final Four by University of Santo Tomas despite holding a twice-to-beat advantage as the top seeded team.