FILIPINO-American rookie Bobby Ray Parks Jr. makes an immediate impact to the Blackwater Elite as he leads the team to an immaculate 3-0 start in the 2019 Honda PBA Philippine Cup.
After failing to suit up for the Elite in the Philippine Cup, Parks made his highly-awaited league debut and averaged 23.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.3 steals in three games, earning him a PBA Press Corps-Cignal Player of the Week citation.
“It’s not just about me. Everybody is doing their part,” said the two-time UAAP MVP. “It goes to show the hard work we put in. We are young. It’s a different type of Blackwater right now.”
Parks debuted against the Meralco Bolts and quickly made his presence felt by scoring 20 points and grabbing eight rebounds in a 94-91 overtime win.
He followed this up with 28 points showing in 108-107 win over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings.
Parks, the No. 2 pick in the 2018 PBA Rookie Draft, capped the winning stretch by coming through with 23 points, five rebounds, and five assists in a 118-110 Blackwater win over Columbian Dyip.
The streak of 20 points or more by Parks in his first three games made him the first rookie in 22 years to achieve the feat or since top pick Andy Seigle did it with Mobiline in 1997 as per PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III.
“We are real. That’s something I can say,” Parks said. “These games, they are no fluke. We took great teams down the wire, it just happened the breaks of the game came our way.”
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Filipino-German midfielder Kevin Ingreso has parted ways with Ceres-Negros FC, ending his three-year partnership with the football club that bore two Philippines Football League title.
In a social media post on Tuesday afternoon, the 26-year-old Ingreso announced his departure, answering the query of the fans of the Negros Occidental-based football team about his absence in the PFL opener last Saturday.
“Every story has an ending but in life every end is a new beginning,” Ingreso wrote on his Instagram account. “It’s been a wonderful three and a half years with Ceres Negros FC.”
“The team has helped me shaped my career and I will always be forever grateful to my teammates, staff, coach Risto (Vidakovic) and especially boss (Leo Rey Yanzon) for giving me the opportunity to be part of this team.”
Ingreso did not include in his post where he is headed next but rumors had it that he will suit up for the Hashtag United Football Club, a semi-professional football team based in Tilbury, England.
Ingreso was the fifth player to depart from Ceres-Negros aside from fellow Philippine Azkals mainstays Patrick Reichelt and Manuel Ott, Spanish goalkeeper Toni Doblas and Jerry Barbaso./PN
