MCJOUR Luib admitted he wasn’t really in game shape when the call to play for Converge in the PBA On Tour came.
Although it’s been seven years since he played competitive basketball for the Letran Knights, Luib said he couldn’t turn the FiberXers down.
“Actually, wala sa plano. Pero depleted yung lineup,” said the former Knights guard who currently serves as one of coach Aldin Ayo’s deputies at Converge.
READ: Longtime Ayo deputy suits up for Converge
“Tinawagan ako kung ready daw ba ako. Siguro physically hindi, pero mentally makakasunod tayo.”
Luib's first game in Asia’s pioneering pro league was a 102-97 loss to Blackwater on Wednesday at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig.
He played for eight minutes and finished with three points and three assists in a performance which Ayo described as ‘decent’ enough.
Luib was obviously ecstatic with the sudden opportunity that came to him, especially after going undrafted during the 2016 rookie draft.
At Converge, not only did he get to play again under Ayo, with whom he won an NCAA championship in 2015 at Letran, but he was likewise reunited with former Knights teammates Kevin Racal and Jerrick Balanza.
“Masaya na nakalaro ko ‘yung mga dati kong teammates, sila KRacs and among the best players dito sa Pilipinas kasi PBA level na,” he said.
After going undrafted, Ayo decided to take Luib under his wings and made him one of his assistant coaches at La Salle, where they won a UAAP championship together in 2016, University of Santo Tomas, and eventually at Converge.
He hadn’t played competitive basketball since then, but try to stay active on the court as much as possible.
It's actually 10 years ago when he last played at the same Pasig venue for Erase Placenta in the PBA D-League.
“Ako para pang sa sarili ko, nagpapa-kundisyon ako. Ayokong lumaki ang tiyan ko habang nagko-coach,” said Luib.
But with guards Aljun Melecio, Jeric Teng, and Adrian Wong all nursing injuries, Luib rekindled his playing career, even only briefly.
“Yung basketball nakadikit na yata talaga sa akin. Kaya baka sa basketball ako talaga,” he said.
And why McJour for a name? It still boiled down to basketball.
“Yung nanay ko pinangalan sa akin McJour. Michael Jordan talaga yun,” he shared.
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