Fortuna steals spotlight from Parks as UST nips NU

University of Santo Tomas (UST) veteran Jeric Fortuna took away the spotlight from the much-anticipated debut of National University (NU) rookie Bobby Ray Parks Jr. Fortuna scored six of his 23 points in overtime to lead the Tigers to a 73-72 victory over the Parks-led Bulldogs in the 74th UAAP men's basketball tournament Thursday at the Araneta Coliseum. "Made na 'yung bata," UST coach Pido Jarencio described Fortuna. "Isa siya sa mga magagaling na point guard sa UAAP ngayon." Parks had 16 points in his first game but shot 5-of-20 from the field including a 4-of-16 clip in the two-point area. He also had nine rebounds and blocked three shots. All eyes were on the 6-foot4 Parks in this game but the overtime period belonged to Fortuna. The Tigers' fourth-year point guard scored the first four points in overtime to break a 65-65 deadlock. Parks scored on a one-handed looper for a 72-71 NU lead with one minute and 19 seconds left in the game but Fortuna found an open lane for the go-ahead basket with 39.1 ticks remaining. Parks was again NU's offensive option and called an isolation play for another chance to reclaim the lead but the Bulldogs' celebrated rookie overshot his short jumper over Jeric Teng. "This year is a redemption year for us. Nag-ready talaga kami offensively and defensively. Gagawa kami ng adjustments one game at a time, basta importante lumalaban tayo bawat game," Jarencio said. Kevin Ferrer, who stayed at UST to play college ball after winning last year's high school Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for the Tiger Cubs, had 12 points and 11 rebounds while Chris Camus added 12 and 10. Dennis Villamor, a rookie recruit from Rizal Technological University, led the Bulldogs with 19 points. He drained back-to-back triples that gave the Bulldogs a 59-52 lead with 3:55 left in regulation. Emmanuel Mbe's two free throws made it 65-62 for NU with 1:28 left in the game but Fortuna drained a triple 15 seconds later to tie the game. Parks had an opportunity to score the game-winning play in regulation but he passed off to Cederick Labing-isa, who hoisted a triple that went off the mark. Mbe had 13 points, eight rebounds and six blocks for the Bulldogs. - Reuben Terrado/JVP, GMA News