Sol Mercado. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Sol Mercado and Jervy Cruz have bid their emotional farewells to their former team Barangay Ginebra following the stunning trade that brought superstar Stanley Pringle to the Gin Kings.
The PBA on Tuesday approved the deal that sent Mercado, Cruz and Kevin Ferrer to NorthPort in exchange for Pringle.
Both Mercado and Cruz were acquired by the Gin Kings via trade in 2015 while Ferrer was drafted by the team in 2016.
✍️ 💔😥 part 1 pic.twitter.com/V27Ah9PikQ
— Sol Mercado (@M3rcMyWords) June 18, 2019
✍️ part 2 pic.twitter.com/uftT3fxSZU
— Sol Mercado (@M3rcMyWords) June 18, 2019
“I am thankful to be a part of this wonderful team… just like acquaintances turned into family and friends and dreams turned into reality… i know we walked, talked and won championships together.. all those experiences will be a part of me and will help me grow on to the next chapter of my career..,” Cruz wrote on his Instagram account.
Mercado and Cruz celebrated three titles with Ginebra while Ferrer won two.
Cruz and Ferrer will reunite with head coach Pido Jarencio at NorthPort.
Jarencio coached Cruz and Ferrer during their collegiate days at University of Santo Tomas. Jarencio and Cruz won a UAAP title together in 2007 while he and Ferrer went to a pair of trips to the finals.