BARANGAY Ginebra looks to shore up its front court after sending seldom-used Ben Adamos to Terrafirma in exchange for third-year big man Kemark Cariño.
Cariño’s representative PJ Pilares confirmed the proposed deal with the trade papers already sent to the PBA Commissioner’s Office for approval.
The 6-foot-8 Cariño is currently recovering from a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) he suffered during practice last year.
He showed what he can do when healthy, after averaging 1.8 blocks during his rookie season and earning a spot in the PBA All-Defensive team in 2024.
A member of the San Beda team that won the NCAA men’s basketball championships in 2017 and 2018, Cariño played a pivotal defensive role in Terrafirma’s rare quarterfinal appearance, where as the eighth seed, the Dyip pushed the top seed San Miguel Beermen to a sudden death for a spot in the semis. The Dyip eventually lost in their do-or-die game, 110-91.
Cariño’s possible addition could beef up Ginebra’s front court that currently has Japeth Aguilar, Troy Rosario and Isaac Go, who is expected to make his return from a knee injury in time for the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup which opens on March 11.
Meanwhile, the 30-year-old Adamos will be suiting up for his seventh PBA team after playing for Alaska, Converge, Phoenix, NLEX, NorthPort and Ginebra.