KEMARK Carino showed what the future of Barangay Ginebra’s interior defense can become after helping anchor the paint in the team’s 115-85 domination of Blackwater on Friday night in the PBA 50th Season Governors’ Cup.
Seldom used since being acquired in a trade with Terrafirma last February, the 28-year-old slotman provided a spark off the bench with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field to help the Gin Kings claim their first win after starting with a loss.
More importantly, the lanky 6-foot-9 center out of San Beda grabbed seven rebounds and had one block in over 13 minutes off the bench as he mirrored the production of veteran starter Japeth Aguilar, who scattered 11 points, nine boards, and five blocks.
READ: Red-hot Ginebra vents ire on Blackwater to get first Govs Cup win
“I thought Kemark came out and played really well, doing a lot of Japeth things. That’s what we’re looking for from him,” Gin Kings coach Tim Cone said.
Carino, who didn’t see action in the team’s first game of the conference against Phoenix, was surprised to hear his name get called in their second match.
But the 2024 All-Defensive Team and All-Rookie Team member proved his capability at full health now that he’s fully recovered from a torn ACL that he sustained when he was still with the Dyip.
“Nagulat din ako na bigla akong tinawag eh,” Carino insisted. “Kailangan ko lang ibalik yung tiwala sa’kin ni coach Tim na binigayan niya ako ng minutes.”
“Mula naman nung lumipat ako sa Ginebra, alam ko naman na short rotation lang si coach Tim. So yun, maging ready lang ako every time, every game, Then, syempre, kailangan ko rin pagtrabahuhan sa practice.”
“Focus na lang ako sa defense,” he added. “So, yun lang yung mindset ko nung dumating ko dito, more on defense lang talaga,” he added. “Yung points darating na lang yun.”
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