Stanley Pringle is looking forward to another team up with Christian Standhardinger once Barangay Ginebra San Miguel starts its defense of the PBA Philippine Cup crown.
The Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference said Standhardinger’s winning attitude will be one of the keys in the Gin Kings’ quest to retain possession of PBA’s most prestigious championship.
“He’s a winner and he’s gonna play hard,” Pringle when asked by a fan during the virtual launch of the team’s “One Ginebra Nation” jersey Thursday, April 22.
The two have been teammates with the national team numerous times, beginning in the 2018 FIBA 3x3 World Cup alongside Troy Rosario and RR Pogoy.
Pringle and Standhardinger joined forces anew in that year’s Asian Games in Indonesia that saw Gilas Pilipinas finish fifth overall and were part of the national team pool during the fourth and fifth windows of the 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
Both players, however, never got a chance to play at the same time during the World Cup Qualifiers as they are considered as naturalized players under FIBA rules.
Their recent time as teammates came in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games when Gilas took home the gold before home fans at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“I play on his team in Gilas and 3-on-3 so he’s gonna do what it takes to win, do what he can to make the team win, for sure. He’s a good player,” said Pringle.
Ginebra acquired Standhardinger from NorthPort last month in exchange for Greg Slaughter, a move that is considered as a major boost to its title bid.
The Gin Kings have won the last conferences, taking home the 2019 Governors’ Cup trophy and last year’s Philippine Cup played under a bubble setup in Pampanga.
Preparation for the 46th season, however, remains on hold after practices were stopped due to a surge in COVID-19 cases that prompted the implementation of strict community quarantine measures.