STANLEY Pringle came out with a career game and spearheaded GlobalPort to a 133-115 win over Columbian Friday in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Pringle scored 50 points to go with six assists in leading a sustained assault by the Batang Pier that netted them their fifth win in 10 games and kept their playoffs aspirations alive.
GlobalPort now needs to prevail in its last eliminations game against Barangay Ginebra on July 6 to avoid any complication and ensure its inclusion among the top eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals.
"Sabi ko nga sa mga players, 'Di tayo p'wedeng matalo,'" related Batang Pier coach Pido Jarencio. "Crucial game against Ginebra. Me mga maglalaro pa, me maglalaglagan pa.
"Basta kami nakakuha na ng five wins. Kung ano man ang mangyari, nandito na kami, ready na kami. "
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The loss that gave it a 4-7 slate and put it at 10th at the end of its elims schedule may just have quashed Columbian Dyip's hopes of making it through.
The Dyip may actually end up tied for eighth, depending on the how the other teams still in the running fare, but the former could still lose out in the quotient.
Blame it all on Pringle.
Malcolm White notched 28 points and 14 rebounds, Jonathan Grey added 16 points and Sean Anthony also came off the bench for 12 and 17 and even new acquisitions Paolo Taha and Gabby Espinas chipped in.
Still, it was clearly Pringle who shone the brightest for GlobalPort.
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The output was the highest by any player, local or import, in the conference and the first 50-point game seen in the league since Asi Taulava scattered 51 for Talk N Text in the 2004 Fiesta Conference.
"Tonight, Stanley showed," said Jarencio of the team skipper who went into the game averaging a shade below 19 points but totally razed his previous career-high by going 18-for-30 from the field, including 9-of-16 from the three-point area.
"Nine three points tapos 50 points? It's all about Stanley," added Jarencio.
"My three-point shots opened things up for me," said Pringle, who also scored on a variety of penetrations that he generally lacked in a 14-point, eight-turnover production in a 108-135 loss to Phoenix just two days earlier.
"We gotta keep moving forward," added Pringle.
His three-point play actually gave the Batang Pier their biggest lead at 121-102 and his dunk not only gave him his 50 but also a 131-112 bulge for them, only 51 seconds left.
The rout actually took shape right in the second period where Pringle scattered 14 of his points and got help from Grey and White . He added 12 in the third as GlobalPort stretched a 10-point halftime lead to as much as 13 before they went into the fourth with a 96-88 lead.
After leading by 10 in the opening frame, Columbian Dyip suddenly went cold, regained some of its bearings to close within 79-83, but faded in the face of the Pringle-led GlobalPort charge.
John Fields' 26 points and 23 rebounds led the Dyip, who also drew 24 points from Eric Camson and 21 apiece from Jerramy King and Rashawn McCarthy.(NC)
The scores:
GlobalPort 133 - Pringle 50, White 28, Grey 16, Anthony 12, Tautuaa 8, Guinto 5, Espinas 4, Taha 4, Elorde 3, Teng 0.
Columbian 115 - Fields 26, Camson 24, McCarthy 21, King 21, Khobuntin 11, Celda 5, Cahilig 3, Ababou 2, Tubid 2, Corpuz 0, Escoto 0.
Quarters: 25-29, 66-56, 96-88, 133-115
