Nards Pinto admitted having a weird feeling being on the other side of the fence for the latest showdown between his new team Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and former club Meralco for the PBA Governors’ Cup title.
A key figure in the Gin Kings’ run from being the sixth seed at the start of the playoffs to making the championship series, Pinto will now get his chance to finally hoist the Governors’ Cup trophy but had to do it at the expense of his Meralco buddies.
“Siguro sobrang weird,” Pinto said during the pre-finals press conference held Monday, April 4 at Novotel Manila in Cubao. “Kasi last time na nag-finals kami nasa kabilang team ako.
Pinto was part of the Bolts’ 4-1 loss to the Gin Kings in January 2020 when they contested the 2019 Governors’ Cup crown.
The 31-year-old would play two more conferences and the first two games of this season’s Governors’ Cup before opting to sign with Ginebra in early-January as an unrestricted free agent.
“Pero happy din kasi nasa Ginebra ako tas may chance ako na makakuha ng championship,” added Pinto.
After a slow start in his first few games with the Gin Kings, Pinto made himself a vital part of the squad with his pesky defending and ability to produce some offense in a timely manner.
He will try to do the same against the Bolts, who will be all business when they face their former teammates who they still love to death.
“Despite Nards being on the other team, we love him,” said Meralco’s Chris Newsome.
“But when it comes down to being on the court, we're just gonna go out there and compete and get the best out of each other.”