By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Filipino Asian quota player Ray Parks Jr. is having one of his best starts in the Japan Basketball League after leading his new team Osaka Evessa to a bounce-back win over the Shiga Lakes, 86-79.
Despite suiting up for the first time with Osaka after spending the past three years with the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins, Parks played like a veteran and dominated the game with a team-high 23-point performance.
Aside from his massive scoring outing, the hefty leftie also stuffed the stat sheets and delivered seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
Parks was already waxing hot from the parking lot after swishing in his first two attempts from downtown and capped off his majestic performance with two more treys in just 29 minutes of playing time.
Osaka went off to the races in the first half and was poised to seize the full momentum of the game when they sank three consecutive buckets to start the third quarter.
However, Shiga devised a retooled strategy by keeping Osaka’s frontcourt out of the perimeter, stretching the floor to maximize their shooters.
Just when Shiga thought they could chip away their deficit with the same move entering the fourth, Osaka then answered with a 2-3 zone defense that slowed the Lakes down.
Parks then cashed in several clutch baskets for Osaka that helped protect their cushion until the final buzzer sounded.
During their first encounter, Osaka lost against Shiga, 88-73, but Parks already had a convincing debut after finishing with 14 markers, five boards, and four dimes.
This is Parks’ second straight double-digit scoring performance for his new team and made Osaka known that he is worth every penny in the newly-opened Japan B. League season.
