Ray Parks, Jr. for National U

According to the Philippine Star, Ray Parks, Jr. declined to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and instead decided to continue playing basketball in the Philippines. An incoming sophomore student, he will suit up next schoolyear to play for the National University Bulldogs in the coming 74th season of the UAAP.

It was reported that according to him, he wants to try it out for 2 years before finally making a decision to either stay in the Philippines and play locally, or take his talents abroad.

Now, we still have one more major decision to make.

But before that, here's something as a Rayray Parks preview:

Thanks to Philstar.com for the image and chinoyhoopsfan for the firsthand info.

Profiling Jeron Teng Part 1: A Bit Of The Good Side

Everyone who looks forward to the future years of the UAAP is focused on whether the Ateneo Blue Eaglets' Kiefer Ravena will go, and this is not the first time that everyone has heard of him. Ever since last year, UAAP fans predict that when he goes to college hoops, he's going to be one of the best in a few months or so.

But Kiefer Ravena's buzz will last until the end of this year, and when he ends and enters college, there will be another one that will take over sports magazines that tackle high school ball.

However, this young gunner does not belong to any of the big universities, or any school who belongs to the UAAP or the NCAA. He does not capture everyone's attention simply because the leagues where he plays for does not enjoy media exposure… and yet he plays for a school who can match the energy of the UAAP and NCAA schools.

Xavier School might not be on the big leagues, being a stand-alone primary and secondary school run by the Jesuits (who, on the other hand, run Ateneo), and as a Filipino-Chinese Catholic School, they are part of the Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball League (MMTLB), alongside Chiang Kai Shek College, St. Jude Catholic School, and Hope Christian High School among many others. And for this year, this school, who boasts of UAAP greats who came out successful in the big leagues like Chris Tiu, Tyrone Tang, and Joseph Yeo, is gunning for its fourth straight championship, and the one who forefronts their basketball team as a junior player is the not-so-center of attraction, Stallions forward Jeron Teng.

The son of basketball legend Alvin and the shoti (as the Chinese call their younger brothers) of UST Growling Tigers swingman Jeric, Jeron Teng has been a dominant player not only in MMTLB and other minor leagues that Xavier School has joined, but also in the Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore, where he played in the 3-on-3 challenge alongside Ray Parks (who has just agreed to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets), Michael Pate (from DLS-Green hills), and Cris Tolomia (who is an FEU Tamaraw who will be eligible next year to play in the UAAP).

And with all the things he learned playing against foreigners, he was able to bring in the Tiong Lian. Just in his first game, he logged a game-high 34 points against Chiang Kai Shek College, which goes with 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. And recently, he broke the scoring record for a Filipino high school player in a major league by scoring 104 points ina 164-76 win against Grace Christian High School. This just shows that he can be one dominant player in the MMTLB, and most probably, he's going to rack in various player awards in the league, especially the Most Valuable Player of the junior division.

With that kind of performance, expect various scouts from different UAAP and NCAA schools to pounce on him as early as now and have him commit to go to a school where he can play a big role as an all-around player.

But where could he possibly go? Here are four UAAP schools which might need his skill and his services to the team:

1.Perhaps the most obvious choice of where Jeron Teng will go after Xavier is in the UST Growling Tigers. With his brother taking on the role of scoring from beyond the arc, Jeron might complement him by providing UST what it lacks: inside scoring. There's still no news about the fresh faces of the Tigers come Season 74, but if we include Teng in the current roster, then the Tigers could prove to be a dominant force that can find its way into the Final Four.

With someone who can constantly pound the ball inside, Coach Pido Jarencio won't hesitate having his swingers move around and place themselves beyond the arc. Jeron's inside presence could distract the defense and force the opponents to focus on the paint, and it is at this point where Tata Bautista, Jeric Teng, and Jeric Fortuna to play their game and hit those big threes. More than that, Jeron might be able to get precious minutes and eventually rise up the ranks in the UAAP, and perhaps we can already start the buzz about him being Season 75's Rookie of the Year.

2.With the RP Youth Squad coach Eric Altamirano taking the reins, the NU Bulldogs could be a possible choice for Teng. If he does, then this might be very good news for the team who is undergoing a constant process of rebuilding through the years. Why? First, Coach E knows how Jeron Teng plays, so it will be fairly easy to let him in the rotation, and second, he could take on the role that should have been played by Ray Parks, Jr., who, after attending National U for a year, left and committed to playing with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the US NCAA.

And a combination of strength and versatility from a team player might be the perfect piece that NU has been missing. Season 74 might become a promising year for the Bulldogs, as many of those who played big last year, notably Emmanuel Mbe, are going to return and step up. However, the problem with next year's lineup is that it is quite soft, with no one who can solidly box out and make post moves. Luckily, this is what Jeron Teng has so far, so if he gets in the team, then muscle might not be a problem anymore for the Bulldogs.

3.There has been no news yet about scouting and inviting Teng to play, but it is possible that the Ateneo Blue Eagles, already having the best players in high school, is also persuading him to don the blue and white and promise him a championship trophy with the rest of the powerhouse Ateneo Squad.

Playing for coach Norman Black would mean not getting a lot of minutes and action as a rookie, but for sure, he's going to be one of the best among the Ateneo reserves. The Blue Eagles of Season 75 will not have swingmen Kirk Long and Emman Monfort, plus Nico Salva and Ryan Buenafe in their last year; however, this could be the time when the youngsters of this year, namely Greg Slaughter, Kiefer Ravena, Von Pessumal, Gwynne Capacio, and Mark Tallo, Jr., will take over. Having those as his teammates (with two of them who already are his buddies in the court, having played alongside Ravena and Pessumal in the RP Youth Squad), Jeron Teng might just get the right boost of confidence, seeing that he will play with familiar faces. And if one were to look closely, he could become the second Ryan Buenafe for the Blue Eagles, only smaller.

4.And of course, the De La Salle Green Archers wouldn't allow themselves to be left behind. With star forward Joshua Webb in his last year as a Green Archer in Season 74, they're going to need extra firepower to support Almond Vosotros, Sam Marata, and Maui Villanueva, who are expected to lead the team for the next three years. With Teng who can possibly be on their side, it is possible that the Green Archers can make another trip to the UAAP Finals, something that they were not able to do so since the year 2008.

With all plans for every school set and reserved for this young basketball star, it seems that his future is already set. But then, all of these would be brought into fruition only if he makes his choice, and we have another year to wait for that.

--

But then, would these schools would really that be desperate for Teng? Watch out for the next part of this feature for the answer...

Photo from the Olympic Games Flickr Site.

The New Record Goes To...

Jeron Teng of Xavier School for the highest scoring effort made by a high school player in a major league. He scored 104 big points, which comes with 24 rebounds (20 offensive ones) with 6 steals, 2 blocks and 1 turnover, making 37 out of 70 shots (1 out of 5 from the 3-point line), en route to a 164-76 win against Grace Christian High School in the Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball Tournament.

The younger brother of UST Growling Tiger Jeric Teng beat the previous record set by Joshua Saret of the JRU Light Bombers two years ago (who had 89 points) for the highest scoring effort by a high school player in a major league. He also beat the Tiong Lian record, previously held by Xavier Stallion Eric Yao in 1998.

Photo from the Youth Olympic Games Facebook page.

6 Points: AdMU vs. MIT (PCCL Elite 8)

Ateneo 65, Mapua 56

Blue Eagles clinch Final Four Spot (vs. University of Cebu)

-After dismantling Lyceum in the Sweet Sixteen leg of the Philippine Collegiate Championship League, Ateneo came ready but only late in the second quarter, as the opening canto looked like it's going to be a win for the Mapua Cardinals. Down by 15 points, swingman Kirk Long started a run of his own, which led to a 32-30 lead entering the half.

-On the other hand, Salamat went too emotionally ballistic. Besides a bad game wherein he only had a measly 2 points, he was also called for an unsportsmanlike foul together with the Cardinals' Jonathan Banal

-Nico Salva was explosive late in the game, as no member of the Cardinals' frontcourt was not able to stop his low post and fade away moves.

-The Cardinals' frontman Allan Mangahas had an impressive offensive effort early in the game, but his last good basket was the last Mapua basket during the third quarter, where they had a 4-point cushion (that was gone in a few seconds during the final canto)

-What turned the tables in favor of Ateneo during the final quarter was the technical foul called on Banal for improper behavior, as the Blue Eagles were given four freebies plus the possession, increasing their lead from four to eight, with five minutes remaining on the game time.

-This was one of the biggest comeback games for this year's Blue Eagles, as it proved that they are not only the champions of the UAAP but also they are legit contenders and could be scoring a repeat... only if they defeat University of Cebu (with the towering JM Fajardo) and San Beda (if they win against La Salle now).

Ateneo 65 – Long 23, Salva 12, Monfort 11, Tiongson 7, Golla 6, Chua 2, Gonzaga 2, Salamat 2, Escueta 0, Erram o, Austria 0 dela Cruz 0

Mapua 56 – Mangahas 11, Sarangay 9, Parala 8, Banal 7, Acosta 6, Ranises 5, Pascual 3, Cornejo 3, Ighalo 2, Guillermo 2

Bleacher's Brew for the box score.

A Cute Segue

This guy knows his team!

First Day Thoughts

Miami 88, Boston 80

This game just showed how difficult it is to meld superstars together and play as one coherent team.

This is not to say that it is impossible, even though most would think that it is because all of these three are role-playing scorers who carry most of the offensive load in their own teams (Cleveland and Toronto in the case of James and Bosh, and the old Miami Heat for Wade). What this game revealed to us is that to create a team of superstars, it takes time and adjustments to bring them together, to be able to "read" each other and feel their own rhythms from both sides of the court.

And as coach Erik Spoelstra said, "it takes time."

L.A. Lakers 112, Houston 110

This is one of those moments wherein the Lakers' closer is not named "Kobe Bryant."

While everyone thought that the Purple and Gold will go 0-1, with the underrated Houston Rockets leading by double digits entering into the second half, Steve Blake and Shannon Brown exploded, hit back-to-back three pointers, made key steals and converted them into points, to bring the Lakers back into the game.

Add to that the three-pointer delivered by Blake off a pass from Bryant, to put the Lakers up by 2 in the final seconds, as well as Lamar Odom's block against Aaron Brooks' layup which could have extended the game to overtime.

This shows that the Lakers now ceased to be a Kobe Bryant-Pau Gasol show (who got 24 and 29 respectively, with the Spanish Armada grabbing 11 boards along side Odom's 10). Perhaps it is a message that the Lakers now are stronger not just as a pack of players, but as a cohesive and effective team.

And everyone, even Miami, ought to be afraid of the fact that the Purple and Gold keeps on getting better and better.

Portland 106, Phoenix 92

Take it from Steve Nash, and believe every word he said. As far as everyone remembers, he mentioned that he himself does not believe that the Suns will make it in the playoffs this season.

The Suns came and played their usual run and gun with Hedo Turkoglu and Hakim Warrick. But despite all efforts, they fell short against the Portland Trailblazers, who, despite front office mismanagement, was able to keep its key players and maintain their poise all throughout the game.

French forward Nick Batum came in as a surprise when he played only for 27 minutes, but he was efficient as he scored 19 points and 11 rebounds, five of them as second chance opportunities. On the other hand, Jason Richardson, who a few months ago brought down the struggling Trailblazers during the '10 playoffs, had 22 big points, with 9 out of 13 treys, but was not able to deliver during the final minutes.

Again, just not enough, Phoenix Suns. Just not enough.

The End Credits (Part 1)

Ateneo 65, FEU 62
Eagles clinch Season 73 Title

At the end of the first quarter, perhaps there was one thing that the Blue Eagles fans had in mind: FEU came to play. It is highly possible that there will be a series-deciding Game 3 on Sunday, where the Blue Eagles will find challenging.

And that was almost the same impression that the Tamaraws imprinted upon the minds of the crowd three months ago, when a rebuilding Blue Squad faced the revitalized Green and Gold, ready to take back what they believed was theirs. Eventually, Ateneo lost the tight match and grab an 0-1 card, the first since four years back.

These were different events, different circumstances. But one thing was common: there was thedesire and eagerness to fight until the final buzzer just to get the win. However, the difference was very clear. While FEU went on to win its two bouts with Ateneo during the eliminations, the Blue Eagles were able to bag the most crucial ones, those that led to their third straight championship.

Following a 72-49 rout of the Tamaraws during the first game, the Eagles found themselves in a precarious position after the opening act, trailing by nine. Despite this big deficit (considering this is a very tight Finals match where leads as large as three can already affect a team), Ateneo maintained its poise and tried to work its way up. Thanks to 17-9 second quarter, the Blue and White trimmed the Tams' lead down to one, and by the third, the Eagles took hold of the ballgame, a possession ahead of FEU.

And from there, it was the wildest ride that the Blue Eagles and the faithful Sixth Men had.

Lots of lead changes, attempts at catching up, and dramatic situations surfaced during the last ten minutes of the game. FEU wants to regain the lead badly and land on a soft cushion as the final minutes tick off, but they can't just get the hold of it as the Blue Eagles protected their lead through and through. They've had a lot of opportunities to take that precious lead, but missed free throws and bad possessions allowed the Eagles to let time pass while holding on. The most significant one, which could have turned the tables for the Green and Gold, came when Frank Golla "supposedly" fouled Paul Sanga from beyond the arc, giving him three foul shots to tie the game. Out of three, only one went in. The score: 61-59.

All through out the eliminations, there were a lot of moments where Ateneo was not able to hold its ground. They've blown games that should have secured the wins. They have played lousy defense and deviated from Norman Black's instructions. They have let open threes and clutch jumpers. To be simple, they've just let the other team pass by without fighting back.

But this one's definitely different. And it was because of the trey.

Ryan Buenafe, who made only 2 out of 27 three-point attempts, set up an isolation play, waved off Carl Cruz (who in turn stepped back) and took perhaps the bravest shot ever. He threw up the three-pointer that cemented the lead and put away the Tamaraws up for good.

That shot was perhaps the most glorious moment for an Ateneo team and crowd who perceived this as a transitional season, where there is no promised or expected championship title, where there is no one who stands as a star or consistent go-to guy, where a grandslam seems to be impossible.

But impossible and unexpected as this may be, it happened. Bacon Austria went to the charity stripe to add one more point and nailing the coffin. Reil Cervantes made a three to bring some dignity into their final score.

As the final buzzer sounded, it was history. It was what everyone believed in and fought for.

It was the sweetest, to say the least.

The scores:

ADMU (65) – Buenafe 23, Monfort 10, Salva 9, Long 7, Chua 7, Salamat 3, Golla 3, Escueta 2, Austria 1, Erram 0, Gonzaga 0, De Chavez 0

FEU (62) – Cervantes 15, Sanga 13, Ramos 9, Cawaling 8, Noundou 6, Garcia 6, Romeo 2, Exciminiano 2, Bringas 1, Cruz 0, Guerrero 0

Inboundpass.com for the box, Fabilioh.com for the image.