MANILA, Philippines – In the past, Stanley Pringle thought it’s highly unlikely for him to don the Philippine colors in international tournaments. But 2018 has been so good to him that he’s suiting up for Gilas Pilipinas for the second time. 

“[This year] was really important,” said Pringle. “It’s an honor to get that call and they say: ‘Hey, you’re going to be representing the country.'” 

After seeing action in the FIBA 3×3 World Cup in Bocaue last June, Pringle was also named to the Asian Games final 12 squad. Although the team banks on the core of Rain or Shine, the GlobalPort point guard has been adjusting well thanks to national team coach Yeng Guiao. 

“Coach Yeng, he’s always letting me know: ‘Hey, you know Stan, pick your spots.’ He’s telling you when to attack because he’s been familiar with the guys and he’s telling me: ‘Hey, keep it on one side instead of crossing court,’ which I do with GlobalPort,” said Pringle.

“So once he told me that, I was able to focus even more and be even more comfortable.” 

The 31-year-old is also confident of jelling with the team as he has played with 4 other clubs before his PBA stint. 

“I’ve been playing basketball for a long time, since I was younger, playing with so many coaches, it’s not too hard for me to adjust to a different style,” added Pringle. 

Pringle cannot play in FIBA 5×5 tournaments as a local because he failed to secure a Philippine passport before turning 16 years old. However, the good news for him is that the FIBA 3-a-side tournament and the Asian Games fall under a different set of rules.

In 3×3, players only need to submit a copy of their passport to FIBA regardless of the age it was issued to be considered as local players. This was the reason Pringle and Filipino-German Christian Standhardinger got tapped to represent the team. 

In the Asian Games, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) states players need to be a citizen of the country they represent and should reside there continuously for a period of no less than 3 years. 

Pringle has been playing in the PBA since 2014 after he was drafted first overall by Globalport, making him eligible for the Asian Games. 

Just last June, Pringle scored a career-high of 50 points in a 133-115 win over Columbian Dyip. – Rappler.com