By JONAS TERRADO
Meralco coach Norman Black has high regard for Stanley Pringle that he believes that the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is right up there with some of the PBA’s best players.
“(Ginebra) probably has the best player in the league in Stanley Pringle,” Black said as the Bolts prepare for another playoff battle with the Kings, this time in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals which starts Wednesday.
“I know some of the guys would say, you know, Matthew Wright and other guys. But for me, Stanley Pringle is probably one of the top three players in the league,” added Black.
Pringle has proven Black’s sentiments inside the PBA bubble after averaging 18.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists in helping Ginebra secure the top seed in the playoffs.
The speedy guard also delivered the telling blows late despite struggling throughout in Ginebra’s quarterfinal victory over Rain or Shine last Friday, prompting coach Tim Cone to describe Pringle as their closer.
Having a Pringle that plays in good form should pose problems for the Bolts, who will need to map out a battleplan in order to end their constant misery against Ginebra in the playoffs.
He was menace during his first taste of the Ginebra-Meralco tussle last January, averaging 18.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists as the Kings captured the PBA Governors’ Cup crown in five games.
Pringle is not the only Ginebra player in Black’s mind.
“Then you have the problem of Scottie Thompson who brings you versatility, and then the man in the middle Japeth Aguilar,” said Black.
Thompson averaged 11.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.3 steals while producing five double-double games while it is safe to assume that Aguilar has reached peak form after a slow start due to his late entry into the bubble.
Black is banking on Raymond Almazan to counter Aguilar’s presence in the middle.
Almazan did the same thing during last season’s Governors’ Cup Finals until the series took a drastic turn when he injured his knee during Game 3.
