Parks to join Gilas trip to Jones Cup, but unsure if he’ll play

MANILA, Philippines – When Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes announced the lineup for the 39th Jones Cup this Saturday, Bobby Ray Parks Jr. not included.

But that was a week ago. 

Jones Cup roster: Jio, Mike T, Kief, Almond, Matt, Ed, Von, RR, Kobe, Mac, Kevin, Carl, Reymar, Fonso, Mike M, Chris 

— Chot Reyes (@coachot) July 4, 2017

Curiously, Parks is part of the 17-man roster posted at the tournament's official website.

Sought for a comment, Parks, who has already lent his services to Gilas during the FIBA-Olympic Qualifying Tournament, explained that Reyes "wanted to bring [him] along and see how everything goes."

"We've been showing up in practice, so he just wants to keep this core group together," the 24-year-old cager said during the team's send-off on Wednesday for the upcoming tournament.  

"I have to wait for comment if I'll be in the exact lineup playing in the Jones Cup but for sure I'm going to the trip," the former Alab Pilipinas skipper added.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas program director Butch Antonio shared more information on the matter, saying that the Taiwan tournament allows day-to-day tweaks to the any team's lineup.

"Seventeen (players) pero 12 to play naman eh," he explained. "Jones Cup is a preparatory tournament for the (Southeast Asian Games) and FIBA Asia. Dun rin, maski mga coaches, would test themselves," Antonio furthered. "That's our arrangement ever since our program started."

"We bring in more than 12 pero in the end ...  each day, magdedeclare kami kung sino (maglalaro)," he added.

"When Ray showed up, when Ray called Chot, sinasabi naman ni Chot noon na no guarantees on lineup spot," Antonio explained. "'Di naman automatic 'yun. Nothing is automatic." 

"'Put on your work and we will see.' Ganoon ang usapan nila. And [Parks] has been putting a lot of work.  He's doing well in practice," he added.

"[T]ruth of the matter is, iikot—i-rorotate 'yan," Antonio offered. "That's nine straight days of, ipagpalagay na natin, tough competition. 

"Kung ikaw [ang] coach, gusto mo ring magaral ng iba't ibang combination. Like I said, dalawang team ang pinagiisipan mo eh," he said. 

The national team will have the Jones Cup fill their July schedule. But their most hectic stretch will be on August, wherein they will compete in the FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon and then in the Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia.