Stanley Pringle can dominate right away, says teammate Romeo

Naveen Ganglani

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Terrence Romeo feels Stanley Pringle may be the answer Globalport has been looking for

GLOBAL DOMINATION. Stanley Pringle stands on the stage after being selected first overall by the Globalport Batang Pier. File photo by Josh Albelda

MANILA, Philippines – Seven wins and 30 losses.

Out of the 37 games the GlobalPort Batang Pier played in the 2013-2014 PBA season – from the Philippine Cup, to the Commissioner’s Cup, to the Governors’ Cup – they won only seven times.

Despite an impressive ensemble of talented players in their roster, ranging from Alex Cabagnot to Jay Washington to RR Garcia, and Terrence Romeo to name a few, rookie head coach Pido Jarencio’s team managed only seven wins last year. Four of those came in the last conference.

But if there was one positive that came out of GlobalPort’s underperforming play in the 2013-2014 PBA season, it was that their lackadaisical play gave them a high chance at attaining a high pick in the 2014 PBA Draft. 

And they earned just that, thanks to a draft lottery held midcourt during a finals game of the Governors’ Cup that raised some questions from other PBA coaches and even caught the attention of Grantland.

But regardless of the accusations thrown at them, the PBA stood firm and still awarded GlobalPort with the first pick. The team didn’t even try to keep whom they were interested to take a secret, revealing without hesitation to anyone that would listen that Stanley Pringle would become a Batang Pier member.

And truthfully speaking, it was hard to blame them. 

Para saakin expect niyo yung hindi rookie yung pumasok. Veteran yung pumasok. For me… hindi na rookie yun,” Romeo, GlobalPort’s incoming sophomore, recently told the media about his new teammate.

(For me, don’t expect that Pringle will play like a rookie. A veteran joined our team. For me, he’s not a rookie.)

(RELATED: Stanley Pringle has makings of a leader, says former coach)

Pringle, 27, is half-Filipino and half-American. His athleticism is superb. He has experience playing overseas, having suited up for NCAA Division I team Penn State Nittany Lions and averaging 12.75 ppg, 3.1 rpg, and 2.3 apg in his senior season, during which he also ranked 6th in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting at 45%.

After his college career, Pringle played for different teams around the globe before finding a home with the Indonesia Warriors at the Asean Basketball League, where he put up 18.6 ppg, 6.2 apg, and 4.8 rpg and led his squad to the championship in 2012.

Mix the numbers he has proven he can register against tough competition on a daily basis with his athleticism and experience, and it wasn’t a surprise the Batang Pier made it no secret they were going to acquire him.

Taking in Pringle, a point guard, did come with a cost: trading Garcia, the team’s first round choice in the 2013 PBA Draft, to Barako Bull. 

But GlobalPort is excited about teaming up their new PG with their other star in the making in Romeo, who averaged 12.4 ppg, 3 rpg, and 2.2 apg in his rookie campaign last season.

Sobrang daming experience na niya, kaya wag niyo i-expect na rookie siya. Expect niyo na kaya niya mag-dominate kaagad,” Romeo said about Pringle.

(He has so much experience so don’t expect him to play like a rookie. You can expect that he can dominate right away.)

May [mga] goal kami. May goal kami na makapag quarters. May goal kami namakapag semis. May goal kami namakapag finals. Pero hindi namin iniisip yun kaagad,” he also said about the goals of the Batang Pier.

(We have goals. We have a goal of making the quarters. We have a goal to make the semis. We have a goal to make the finals. But we’re not thinking about that right away.)

One at a time lang kami. Kung baga, ang importante manalo muna kami sa mga games.”

(We’re taking things one at a time. It’s essential we first concentrate on winning game-by-game.)

Romeo, Pringle, and the rest of their team will get their first shot at getting a win on Tuesday, October 21, when they take on new franchise NLEX Road Warriors at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Unlike KIA or Blackwater, NLEX isn’t being considered an expansion team because they bought former PBA franchise Air21 during the offseason, and managed to retain some of the team’s players like big man Asi Taulava and dynamic wingman Macmac Cardona.

But whether their opponent be NLEX, KIA, Blackwater, San Miguel, Ginebra, or anyone else, the Batang Pier aren’t taking anyone lightly this season.

Syempre once nasa PBA ka, yung team mo nasa PBA, wala kang pwede maliitin. Lahat yun sobrang PBA caliber. So talaga para saakin, hindi namin sila, porket bago sila, hindi kami pwede mag-relax sakanila.”

(Of course once you’re in the PBA, once your team is in the PBA, you can’t take anyone lightly. Everyone’s PBA caliber. So for me, just because the expansion teams are new, it doesn’t mean we can relax against them.)

However, there is one team Romeo believes that still looms as the biggest threat to everyone.

The four-time defending champions.

Oo naman, syempre. [coming from a] Grand Slam yan eh,” Romeo said about the San Mig Coffee Mixers, now known as the Purefoods Star Hotshots. “Para saakin sila parin yung pinaka mahirap na kalaban na team.”

(For me, Purefoods is still the hardest team to beat.)

When asked what he improved on with his game, Romeo opted not to reveal any info, wanting to keep it a surprise. “Abangan nalang sa PBA kung ano na ba yung mga na-improve ko,” he said.

(Just wait to see what I’ve improved on.)

And for GlobalPort?

Bibigay namin yung best namin.”

(We will give our best.)

– Rappler.com

 

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