Stanley Pringle (Photo courtesy of PBA Media Bureau)
MANILA -- Stanley Pringle essentially accepted a call-up to rejoin Gilas Pilipinas Men for the Southeast Asian Games that will take place at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City from December 5-10.
On Tuesday, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio named the Ginebra guard to the 24-man pool for Gilas Men's SEA Games team along with San Miguel big man Chris Standhardinger and Ateneo stars Thirdy Ravena and Isaac Go.
Hours later, after Barangay Ginebra played the Changwon Sakers in a tune-up game ahead of the PBA Governors' Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City that the former won, 95-91, Pringle said he is ready to heed the national team call.
"When it comes to the national team, any time they need me to come, hopefully I'm healthy enough to practice, I'm there, SEA Games or anything," Pringle said.
Pringle previously had stints with the Gilas Pilipinas program in its 3x3 team that played in last year's FIBA 3x3 World Cup at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue and Gilas Men's team in the Asian Games also last year and in the fourth and fifth windows of the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers.
Pringle, who is designated by FIBA as a naturalized player for only securing a Philippine passport after turning 16, was actually included in the Gilas Men's pool for the FIBA World Cup along with Standhardinger, although the naturalized player spot still went to former National Basketball Association veteran Andray Blatche.
However, the Asiad and the SEA Games are more lenient in terms of the mixed descent players' eligibility by only requiring a passport for the country they will represent regardless of how old they were before attaining it, meaning Filipino-foreign players like Pringle and Standhardinger can play in the SEA Games as locals.
The SBP still has time to make some adjustments to its Gilas Men lineup as the deadline of submission of the lineup was extended to September 30. (PNA)
