MANILA – Ilonggo center Karl Kenneth Bono is making his return to the San Miguel Beermen as part of its roster for the PBA 3×3 second conference beginning this Saturday.
It was a homecoming of sorts for the Iloilo City native who played for the Beermen from 2008 and 2009 and was part of the SMB crew that won the 2009 PBA Fiesta Cup title.
This also marks the return of the 37-year-old former Adamson University Falcons center to the PBA after he last played for the TNT Tropang Giga during the 2019 season.
Bono is considered as one of the promising players from Iloilo City. He first played for the University of Iloilo before moving to Hua Siong College of Iloilo Red Phoenix for high school.
After being recruited by the Falcons for UAAP, where he won a MVP trophy in 2006, he entered the PBA and was selected by Alaska Aces as a first round pick in 2007.
Bono went to move from one team to another. He had stints with the Beermen, Coca Cola Tigers (now NorthPort Batang Pier), Barako Bull (now Phoenix Fuel Masters), BMeg Llamados (now Magnolia Hotshots), Meralco Bolts, and TNT.
Last year, the 6-foot-5 Bono also played for MTrans Buracai De Laiya BCTA in the FilBasket where he won the three-point shootout competition.
At the Beermen 3×3 team, Bono is to be handled by fellow Ilonggo Boysie Zamar as head coach and will team up with fellow Western Visayas-based player Jeff Manday.
Manday, a former standout of Colegio de Sta. Ana de Victorias, returned to the Beermen’s 3×3 roster following his strong showing during the inugural conference.
Completing San Miguel Beer’s 3×3 team were Mon Rogado, James Mangahas, Raymond Austria and Louie Vigil./PN
