MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra beefed up its backcourt following the untimely exit of injured star guard Stanley Pringle early in the PBA Governors’ Cup with the addition of John Pinto.

Pinto signed with Ginebra after his contract with Meralco expired at the end of 2021, making him an unrestricted free agent.

“We wanted to provide depth to our guard position because of Stanley’s absence. We like him because he brings a lot of toughness and experience to the position,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone.

A former Best Player of the Conference, Pringle played just one game in the Governors’ Cup before he underwent surgery on his left knee.

Pringle is expected to the miss the rest of the conference as he sits out three months.

With Pinto, Ginebra gets a feisty guard who played a key role for Meralco during his two years with the team.

Pinto averaged 8.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in the previous Philippine Cup, which saw Meralco reach the semifinals.

In the Governors’ Cup, Pinto normed 9 points, 5.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1 steal in two games before he parted ways with Meralco.

Meralco head coach Norman Black said the team offered Pinto a contract extension, but the veteran guard turned down the deal. – Rappler.com