Northport’s Jio Jalalon against Terrafirma’s Stanley Pringle during a PBA Governors’ Cup. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Stanley Pringle and Jio Jalalon matched up once more in Group A of the PBA Governors’ Cup on Friday but this time, it was anything but the usual.
Pringle and Jalalon were two of the main characters in the league’s “Manila Clasico” rivalry in the PBA, a warfare that featured Ginebra and Magnolia.
For the longest time, Pringle rode with the Gin Kings and Jalalon rocked with the Hotshots.
Not this time, though.
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After the Season 48 offseason where almost every team had a shake-up, Pringle was shipped to Terrafirma while Jalalon was packaged to Northport.
But een without donning their usual jerseys, both shifty guards brought the heat in their first head-to-head bout since departing their mother teams.
“I’m always challenged because Stanley’s just different,” said Jalalon in Filipino with Inquirer Sports after helping Northport win over Terrafirma, 112-93, at Araneta Coliseum on Friday.
Terrafirma guard Stanley Pringle. –PBA IMAGES
“When I was a rookie in the PBA, he’s really the one I’ve been watching and he’s the one I want to guard because it’s such a challenge to guard him. I just love challenging myself.”
Jalalon certainly seemed eager to play against Pringle anew as he dropped eight points, three assists and three rebounds.
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While it was Jalalon and the Batang Pier taking home the win, Pringle scored more over his point guard counterpart.
In the loss, Pringle registered a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds with seven assists to match.
“Jio’s a guy who you always have to be ready for,” said Pringle, exchanging praises with the Arellano product.
“If you’re not ready for him, he’s going to kill you out there. He’s a high energy guy who knows how to push the ball so whenever I play him, I always have to be on my P’s and Q’s,” the former Gin King added.
It certainly wasn’t how Jalalon envisioned his new matchup with Pringle would be, but the 2023 PBA Defensive Player of the Year understood the cost of doing business.
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“For me, as a professional, we can’t control what happened but before, we always matched at Manila Clasico. Now, I got to think, this is really how our business is. You can’t tell when you’re facing someone or you’re teaming up with someone and that’s good.”