MANILA – Despite being spared of a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, it will still take time before Stanley Pringle returns to the court for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings.
Kings team manager RayBoy Rodriguez said in an interview with Spin.ph that the ACL of the Filipino-American guard was intact, contrary to the initial test.
Rodriguez, however, deferred it to Kings head coach Tim Cone to announce to the public the status of Pringle’s injury and when he can return to play for the squad.
Pringle, a former PBA Best Player of the Conference awardee, has not suited up in Barangay Ginebra’s last three matches in the 2021-2022 PBA Governors’ Cup after hurting his knee in practice.
The 34-year-old Pringle already had a knee issue since the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup at the Clark, Pampanga bubble. He also missed some games in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup due to injuries.
Pringle was one of the five injured Gin Kings. The others were Negrense Joe Devance, Mark Caguioa, Aljon Mariano, and Jared Dillinger who could be out for the rest of the conference.
Unlike Pringle, Terrafirma Dyip is losing veteran guard Alex Cabagnot for approximately eight months after recently undergoing surgery to his torn Achilles.
Dyip head coach Johnedel Cardel said the 39-year-old Cabagnot is expected to miss the remainder of the Governors’ Cup and the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup.
“Tapos na ang operasyon, eight months din ‘yun (mawawala),” said Cardel who admitted that Cabagnot is a huge blow for the Dyip’s playoffs hopes.
Cabagnot, who arrived to the Dyip from San Miguel Beermen during the offseason, suffered his Achilles injury during Terrafirma’s lopsided defeat against NLEX Road Warriors last week./PN
