Parks blasts UST’s Ferrer for playing 'dirty'

MANILA, Philippines - Two-time UAAP MVP Ray Parks of NU took his time before exiting the dugout after a tough 62-71 loss to fourth-seeded UST in their Final Four match-up the 76th UAAP men's basketball tourney.

Parks suffered a scary fall in the payoff period and injured his finger and wrist but successfully came back, although to no avail as the Bulldogs lost their twice-to-beat advantage against last year's finalist.

"I landed on it when I got hit in the air and I think I sprained my pinkie and at the same time my wrist. And really from there I was really in pain and actually worse coming back to the game. Kevin Ferrer grabbed my hand and pinched my fingers," said Parks, who was clearly upset with the UST swingman.

The third-year forward shared with the media his unpleasant feelings towards his former RP youth teammate, going as far as branding Ferrer and UST as the Detroit Pistons to his Michael Jordan.

"My dad has been through players like that. Even Michael Jordan had Detroit. This is my Detroit so whatever, that is just the easiest way to say it," said Parks.

"Just playing with him (Ferrer) in the RP team before, I never thought he would become like this. I thought he was better than that, sorry, but to come in the game and grab my fingers, I think that's a little low," he added.

Despite losing their twice-to-beat advantage, the son of seven-time Best PBA import Bobby Parks is confident that they can bounce back in the knockout game on Saturday.

"We just came out passive. More than anything, the team came out relaxed coming from a long break. Our heads wasn't really in the game. We just came back in the second half," said Parks. “We just need to play aggressive but clean.”

Probed on his preparation for the physical defense employed by UST, Parks believed it was more about him adjusting to it.

"I will watch a lot of film, really just study how UST plays me. They played me dirty but you have to play through it. That's Philippine basketball, but I have to adjust. It’s more about me than just them. It’s more about what we need to do," he ended.