PRINCE Caperal is making a comeback in the PBA after a year-long absence after impessing in tryouts with Blackwater.
Bossing head coach Jeff Cariaso said Caperal will be joining the team in the season-ending PBA Philippine Cup after practicing with the club for the past two weeks.
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Caperal returns to the PBA after a stint with the Abra Weavers in the MPBL last year. He also played for the Zamboanga Valientes in an a Dubai tournament early this year.
Blackwater is expected to benefit from the experience of Caperal, who won four championships coming off the bench ffor Barangay Ginebra from 2018 to 2022. His last PBA stint was with NorthPort from 2022 to 2024.
The 6-foot-7 Caperal was named the Most Improved Player during the 2020 bubble season where the Gin Kings won a championship.
He was later moved to NorthPort as part of the trade that sent Arvin Tolentino and a Season 48 first-round draft pick, which turned out to be Cade Flores, to the Batang Pier for Jamie Malonzo.
Cariaso believes the 31-year-old Caperal will be an asset for the Bossing in the coming conference with a skillset that's rare among players his size.
“Prince impressed all the coaches when he came to try out a couple weeks ago. There are no wasted movements with him. He’s precise and plays within his strengths.
'Cerebral player'
“I would describe Prince as a cerebral player that will always be in control and make good decisions on the court,” said Cariaso.
Cariaso said Caperal’s history with the Gin Kings under coach Tim Cone and strength and conditioning coach Kirk Collier has definitely helped him become a better player.
“I love the fact that he was under Coach Tim for four years and was trained by Coach Kirk,” said Cariaso.
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