CONVERGE consultant Djordje Jovicic has been largely credited by fans for the FiberXers’ run to the semifinals of the PBA 50th Season Governors’ Cup.
Jovicic returned to the squad during the second part of the Governors’ Cup following the Gilas Pilipinas break and took on a more active role on the bench under head coach Delta Pineda.
Since then, the FiberXers have gone 6-1 (win-loss) including a 3-1 quarterfinal series win over Rain or Shine that set the stage for the first-ever semifinal appearance for the Dennis Uy-owned franchise.
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But the Serbian mentor said the achievement was not by one person alone.
“As I said to the guys in the locker room, we play like a team and that means all the staff, all the coaches, and all the players, they start to think that it’s only what’s important, that we need to play like a team,” said the 50-year-old Jovicic, who took a job in Indonesia after his first stint with Converge.
The FiberXers completed the series win over the Elasto Painters with a 120-109 win in Game 4, marking the first time that the team advanced to the semifinals after seven quarterfinal exits.
Jovicic said the FiberXers were ripe for a semifinal appearance.
“We had 18 offensive rebounds. We had 30 assists and we had 88 percent [percentage] from the free throw [line]. That means we were ready in the head (mentally). That is something that is very important. All of us were thinking to contribute and giving something for the team,” Jovicic said.
Jovicic said the achievement would not have been possible without the support of the entire team including Pineda.
“Yes, I have big support from all of them,” said Jovicic pointing primarily to Pineda, who he has worked with since their time with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns in the MPBL.
“I’m thankful for that. All of them came here and I really feel that we are like a family and that’s the kind of energy that we share in the locker room, we share with the players,” Jovicic added.
“In this moment, I believe we have good chemistry. That is what’s important for this kind of matches and this kind of series especially in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals,” said Jovicic.
Jovicic also paid tribute to his fellow Serbian coach Rajko Toroman, who was with him in his first go-around at Converge where he also laid out the foundation of the team.
“I have to mention that I came back the second time, but we also have to mention coach Rajko was here with the team for more than two, three years. He made a great job. And now, for all of us, it’s much more easier to improve a little bit, because he already set a good base for all of the players,” said Jovicic.
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