Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
ANTIPOLO — Some things never change.
For Chris Banchero, facing Stanley Pringle every conference always gets him hyped as he welcomes the challenge of defending the speedy guard.
“I’ve been playing against him for seven years now. He’s a hell of a player. You need to be at your best when you’re guarding him,” said Banchero after Alaska’s 105-98 overtime victory over GlobalPort on Sunday.
From their days in the ASEAN Basketball League, where Pringle played for the Indonesia Warriors while Banchero was with the San Miguel Beermen, to now in the PBA, the Fil-Italian guard bared that he never gets tired with the familiar matchup.
“I believe he brings out the best in everybody. He’s very, very shifty when he gets to the basket and he can shoot the ball so you have to be at your best when you’re guarding him,” he said.
Pringle’s brilliance was once again in full display, leading the fight for the Batang Pier with 28 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.
Banchero, meanwhile, had a decent game of his own, finishing with 16 points and four rebounds.
But more importantly, it was his Aces who got the last laugh despite facing a 13-point hole in the second half.
“(Pringle) had a big game, but we gutted it out. It was a good win for us, it was a great week for us,” he said as Alaska improved to 6-2 after starting the season with two straight losses.
Banchero, though, doesn’t want the streak to get into the Aces’ heads as they brace for their final three elimination assignments.
“Teams make runs and we now won six in a row. But we haven’t accomplished anything yet. It’s still the regular season,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll use this momentum in the playoffs and we keep it going. It’s been a good 2018 and I hope it continues.”