Push Admin

Who was the toughest ABL player to guard? Ray Parks answers

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/sports/05/09/050918-rayparksjr.jpg"/><figcaption>Alab Pilipinas&#x27; Ray Parks (1) guards Jason Brickman (5) of Mono Vampire. Richard Esguerra, <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/news" target="_blank">ABS-CBN Sports</a></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – In his second season with San Miguel Alab Pilipinas, Ray Parks has thoroughly embraced the challenge of being a two-way player.Known for his high-scoring ways since his UAAP days with National University, Parks showed that he can shine on the defensive end as well during his stint with Gilas Pilipinas in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, and brought that same intensity to Alab Pilipinas in the ASEAN Basketball League.So who among the players in the ASEAN Basketball League was the toughest to guard for Parks?It&#x27;s none other than Mono Vampire&#x27;s Filipino-American point guard, Jason Brickman, who proved to be a major cause of concern for Alab Pilipinas during their recently concluded best-of-five finals series.&quot;It&#x27;s definitely tough guarding Brickman, that&#x27;s for sure,&quot; said Parks, who averaged 23 points per game in the championship round and won Finals MVP honors after leading Alab Pilipinas to the title, during an appearance on ANC&#x27;s &quot;Gametime.&quot;<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/news/2018/05/03/abl-make-mistake-ray-parks-jr-winner-41122">READ: Make no mistake about it – Ray Parks Jr. is a winner</a></li></ul>Brickman was superb in the finals, averaging 12.6 points, 10.6 assists, and 5.6 rebounds in the series. The Fil-Am guard, together with the towering Samuel Deguara, were the primary reasons that Mono Vampire pushed the series to a deciding fifth game.&quot;He sees the floor so well, and his basketball IQ is beyond measure, to be honest,&quot; Parks said of Brickman, who previously played for Westports Malaysia Dragons before signing with Mono Vampire in 2016.&quot;He really wants to be the engine of his team and get everybody involved, not in terms of just trying to score,&quot; Parks further explained. &quot;He&#x27;ll make the right pass, and he puts his teammates in the best position to score as possible.&quot;Brickman&#x27;s excellence as a point guard is nothing new. He led the NCAA Division 1 in assists twice while playing for Long Island University and drew high praise from Alab Pilipinas coach Jimmy Alapag for his superb play in the finals.&quot;I&#x27;ve been a big fan of Brickman for a long time,&quot; said Alapag during the ABL Finals. &quot;He&#x27;s probably one of the smartest point guards I&#x27;ve seen in a long time… his basketball IQ is off the charts.&quot;Brickman thanked Alapag for the &quot;great compliment,&quot; especially as he has drawn comparisons to the &quot;Mighty Mouse&quot; before.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/news/2018/05/03/abl-make-mistake-ray-parks-jr-winner-41122">FULL STORY: Mono playmaker Jason Brickman flattered by Alapag’s compliment</a></li></ul>&quot;Growing up, a lot of people tell I played like him. So getting that compliment means a lot to me,&quot; said Brickman.After facing off against each other in the ABL finals, Parks and Brickman may just find their paths crossing anew in the PBA. Parks is deliberating the next step in his basketball career, while Brickman is trying to get his papers in order so he can declare for the PBA Rookie Draft later this year.&quot;I wanna play in the PBA. But let&#x27;s see what happens, get my paper done and get into the draft,&quot; he said.For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/" target="_blank">ABS-CBN Sports website.</a>