Stanley Pringle at the bench during NorthPort’s game against Alaska. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
ANTIPOLO CITY—NorthPort handled its business against Alaska, easily taking its first win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup even without star point guard Stanley Pringle.
Additional firepower is on its way as Pringle, recovering from surgery on his right foot to remove bone spurs, expects to play in the Batang Pier’s next game against NLEX on Saturday.
“I’m feeling good, I’m already running, I think yesterday I’ve been running full speed and I’m just trying to work on my endurance right now,” said Pringle after the NorthPort’s 103-81 win over the Aces.
“I got about two to three bone spurs removed about four weeks ago. I’m about 80 percent right now. You can expect me to play but if it’s still hurting, then I’m not going to play,” added Pringle.
Pringle was the third-best scorer in the league during the Philippine Cup averaging 20.5 points a game but the Batang Pier had plenty of options against the Aces.
Sean Anthony, the league’s second-leading scorer in the previous conference at 20.7 points, put up with 22 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals for NorthPort while big man Prince Ibeh had 19 points, 13 rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.
Rookie Robert Bolick also had 19 points for the Batang Pier while Jonathan Grey and Moala Tautuaa had 13 and 12 points, respectively.
NorthPort head coach Pido Jarencio said he expects Pringle to return as an even better player even likening his player to The Six Million Dollar Man, a bionic superhero from the series of the same name that aired during the 1970s.
“There were bone spurs that were removed from is foot and were replaced by metal so he’s bionic now,” said Jarencio with a laugh. “He can jump higher than the ring now.”