It’s no secret that most Filipino cagers from all levels have the desire to play for flag and country. So much so that even an established figure such as Fil-American combo guard Stanley Pringle has that aspiration.
The GlobalPort Batang Pier star did not hide the fact that he has always wanted to represent the Philippines. That — throughout his basketball career that has been going for over a decade — he has been waiting for that much-desired call.
“I’ve been waiting for a while,” admitted the 31-year-old to Tiebreaker Times.
Pringle actually had a chance several years ago. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
Gilas had been on the lookout for Filipino-Americans back in 2009, as they were gathering talents for Gilas 2.0. According to Pringle, he had actually received an invite, as he was coming off a solid 2007-2008 season with Penn State.
However, he wasn’t able to show up, citing academics as a major reason.
“I was going through some testing in college so I had to study to pass and get my bachelor’s degree,” said Pringle, who graduated in 2009 with a degree in Labor Studies and Employment Relations with focus on Human Resources.
One of those what-ifs, probably.
Now, Pringle is in his fourth year in the PBA and with the GlobalPort Batang Pier. All that waiting of his to receive a call-up from the national team has finally paid off.
The 6-foot-1 guard has been included by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas in the team that will represent the Philippines in the FIBA 3X3 World Cup this coming June, which will be held at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
“Oh, man. It’s great. It’s an honor,” shared Pringle, whose mother Elvira hails from Cagayan. “Now, it’s just like a dream come true.
“To finally get to represent the team, on three-on-three, Im’ma play as hard as I can play.”
Indeed, the wait was worth it.
