Texters escape Batang Pier as Pringle turns from hero to goat

Games Friday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – Phoenix vs Star

7 p.m. – Mahindra vs Rain or Shine

MANILA, Philippines – Stanley Pringle made incredible plays to give Globalport a chance to steal the game only to throw away their most important possession, allowing TNT KaTropa to escape with a 122-120 win and remain the frontrunner in the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

The Batang Pier fought back from a 24-point deficit early in the second quarter and from 11 points down in the last three minutes but bungled a chance to win on an errant pass by Pringle to Jay Washington with time down to 2.2 seconds.

Thus, the Texters bounced back from a loss to the Mahindra Enforcers the last time out and remained the tournament pacesetter with a 7-1 win-loss record.

TNT stopped Globalport’s three-game romp and sent the Batang Pier down to joint eighth with the Alaska Milk Aces and the NLEX Road Warriors at 3-5.

 “They made a big turnaround in the second half. We fell into a lull but we made a big shot and a big stop in the end. Anyway, anyhow, it’s a win and we take it,” said TNT coach Jong Uichico.

The biggest shot for the Texters came from Ranidel de Ocampo from a kick-out pass by Jason Castro making it 122-120 with time down to 5.7 seconds.

With Mychal Ammons getting into foul-trouble situation early, TNT key locals Castro, De Ocampo, Larry Fonacier and Ryan Reyes carried the cudgels as the Texters stormed to a 42-18 lead and stayed in command until the Batang Pier made an amazing comeback and pulled even at 120-all with 41 seconds left to play.

Pringle scored on a zigzagging attack off a phalanx of defenders then took a steal and beat a defender for another tough layup to highlight their endgame siege.

The Fil-Am guard, however, turned hero to goat on his blunder in the dying seconds.

The Texters pulled through in the high-scoring battle with Castro firing away 37 – the second most in his career next to his all-time high of 44.

De Ocampo, Fonacier, Reyes and Michael Madanly added double-digit outputs while Ammons got only seven markers and 11 rebounds as he struggled with early fouls.

Michael Glover, Terrence Romeo and Pringle carried the fight for the Batang Pier, piling up 38, 33 and 25 points, respectively.

The Texters unleashed an 18-to-nothing run to build their 24-point lead at 42-18 and went on to sit on a 70-52 cushion at halftime.

No team had scored more in a half since the Star Hotshots made 73 in their 120-118 win over the Alaska Milk Aces last July 29.

The Texters stayed in control at 96-86 going into the final canto, but the Batang Pier kept on fighting until finding an opportunity to win at the finish.

Glover and Romeo combined for 25 points in the fourth before Pringle took over.

“We know that Globalport can really score when Pringle and Romeo get going. We’re lucky to escape,” said Uichico.