Converge has brought back Serbian coach Djordje Jovicic in an active capacity to help out the team’s campaign in the PBA Governors’ Cup, which resumes next week.
Jovicic was spotted calling the shots for the FiberXers during Thursday’s 113-99 loss to the Blackwater Bossing in a tune-up game held at Ronac Art Center in San Juan.
Team governor Archen Cayabyab is hoping that Jovicic’s expertise will replicate what Converge did in the Philippine Cup when she served as a consultant under coach Delta Pineda’s staff.
‘He is really in charge of our defense, and when he was with us, the team was doing well,’ Cayabyab said. ‘That’s why we took him back because we believe that he can be a big help.’
The 50-year-old was coming off a coaching stint in the Indonesia Basketball League for Satria Muda Pertamina.
The FiberXers resume their Governors’ Cup campaign on Oct. 11 against the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, looking to build on a string of back-to-back wins before the league went on a long hiatus.
Converge also hopes to make good use of the confidence boost gained by its three stars who played for Gilas Pilipinas: Juan Gomez de Liano, Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar.
Gomez de Liano excelled for Gilas during the fourth window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers while Arana and Baltazar took part in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Baltazar didn’t play in the tune-up while Arana saw limited action as he’s still recovering from a sprained ankle sustained during the Asian Games.
Converge holds a 5-4 record for third in Group A with three games to play.