First-time champ Stanley Pringle was the difference for Brgy. Ginebra, says Tim Cone

After being crowned as the PBA’s scoring champion in 2018 when he was still with the NorthPort Batang Pier, Stanley Pringle moved up one level and is now a certified PBA champion after winning the 2019 Governors’ Cup title during his first full conference with Brgy. Ginebra.

The 32-year old Fil-Am, who was acquired by the Gin Kings from the Batang Pier in exchange for Jervy Cruz, Sol Mercado and Kevin Ferrer midway through the Commissioner’s Cup, finally landed the elusive championship after 5 unproductive seasons in the league.

“It’s a blessing,” said Pringle after Brgy. Ginebra’s 105-93 title-clinching Game 5 win over Meralco, Friday night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

“I’m ready for another one,” he added.

The first overall pick in the 2014 draft capped his very impressive first Finals stint with a 17-point performance highlighted by several razzle-dazzle plays which drew oohs and ahhs from the predominantly Brgy. Ginebra crowd.

Gin Kings coach Tim Cone said that Pringle was indeed the difference maker in the team’s campaign to reclaim the throne.

“What do you say about Stanley? He’s the difference. He was the difference in this series that the one guy they had to pay attention to opened up things for Justin (Brownlee),” he said.

“Stanley and that ability to get to open court and finish through traffic, nothing quite gets the crowd going like that. And that’s just a huge lift for us when he does something like that. He lifts the whole team because that lifts the crowd and he does a lot more out there than you think – he rebounds, he defends, he’s good at making steals and he’s a great scorer and passer,” added the 22-time PBA champion mentor.