PBA: Kia changes team nickname from Sorento to Carnival for Commissioner's Cup

Expansion team Kia is changing its PBA moniker from Sorento to Carnival in time for their Commissioner's Cup debut on Tuesday.

 

Columbian Autocar Corporation, the distributor of Kia in the Philippines, said in a news release that they want to duplicate Sorento's mileage and exposure to their other models, starting with Carnival for the conference.

 

Because of the change in moniker, the team will be sporting new jerseys for their opening game against GlobalPort, marking the first time the team will be called Kia Carnival.

 

Kia is coming off an 11th place finish in the Philippine Cup, winning their debut game against fellow expansion team Blackwater Elite before losing the rest of their games to the seasoned teams of the league.

 

The team is eager to bounce back for the import-laden Commissioner's Cup, acquiring the services of 7-foot-4 Puerto Rican center Peter John Ramos.

 

“Despite an early exit from their maiden season, hard work and intense training continued for our players and coaches as they eagerly prepared for the Commissioner’s Cup," said CAC president and PBA alternate governor Ginia Domingo.

 

"I can see it in their eyes, in their body language during practices; they want to prove to everyone that Team Kia belongs to the big leagues," she added. — Marisse Panaligan/JST, GMA News