Son of ex-import Parks to arrive in Manila, try out for RP 5

MANILA, Philippines - Ray Parks, son of Philippine Basketball Association seven-time Best Import Bobby Parks, will be staying in the Philippines for a week to attend the national developmental pool that will serve as training ground for players who will play for the 2012 London Olympics. The six-foot-three Parks, 15, is set to arrive on December 27 and try out for the under-16 squad to be handled by newly installed mentor Eric Altamirano "I am very interested in playing for the RP team. I would love to represent the Philippines anyway I can. I am proud to be Filipino and if I do make the team, I can represent the country the best way I can," Parks told GMANEWSTV via online interview. "I will be in the Philippines from December 27 to January 3. I am glad that I am getting the chance to come back home and try out for the RP team. I am playing basketball everyday here in the US. I will have to miss a couple of practices here with my high-school team to come to the Philippines," he added. Parks has earned the admiration of several scouts from US NCAA Division One teams. He has had impressive numbers of 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Ridgeway Middle School in Memphis. Parks, who can speak Tagalog fluently, Bobby Parks' with his Filipina wife Marifer Celine Barbosa, who now lives in Los Angeles. Besides attending the tryout for the RP team, Parks is also pondering his future whether to play in the US NCAA or play for a collegiate team in the Philippines. Ateneo, whose team is being handled by Parks’ godfather, Norman Black, is reportedly very much interested in luring the son of the former San Miguel and Shell best import, who has become the yardstick by which foreign reinforcements in the PBA are gauged. Black even admitted that the son is better than his father in some respects. "He shoots better than Bobby," Black said . "I think he’ll be a great player. Of course, I’d like him to play for Ateneo but I leave it up to Ray and Bobby." "The level of competition is certainly higher in the US and if Ray is invited to play for a big school, I’ll encourage him to go for it." - Rey Joble, GMANews.TV