Kings acquire Pringle for Cruz, Mercado, Ferrer

MANILA, Philippines — NorthPort has shipped injured star guard Stanley Pringle to Barangay Ginebra to acquire the Gin Kings’ Sol Mercado, Jervy Cruz and Kevin Ferrer.

Coach Pido Jarencio said Mercado’s heady playmaking will come in handy for the Batang Pier with Nico Elorde and Jonathan Grey both nursing injuries while Cruz and Ferrer, his players back in college, boost their stock as they seek to sustain their charge in the Commissioner’s Cup.

“While we lost an exciting player in Stanley, we have the experience of Jervy and Sol and the versatility of Kevin,” Jarencio said. “In a sense, we’ll get bigger.”

The trade, which was approved by the Commissioner’s Office, cleared the way for Mercado’s return to the franchise, and a reunion for Jarencio and his University of Santo Tomas stars Cruz and Ferrer. Cruz was a vital cog in UST’s title run in 2006  under Jarencio while Ferrer played for him in the early 2010s.

“I want to have my former UST players. They know my system well,” said Jarencio.

Pringle had played for the NorthPort franchise since his entry into the PBA in 2014, becoming an instant star for the Batang Pier. The Fil-Am, though, has seen action for only two games in the Commissioner’s Cup as he has yet to fully recover from his bone spur operation. At Ginebra, Pringle is set to form an explosive backcourt teamup with LA Tenorio and Scottie Thompson.

“We thank Stan for five great years. He’s been our sparkplug and we gained prominence because of his gutsy plays and the character he displayed on the court,” Jarencio said. “In some of our games, he even played with pain.”