STRONG Group head coach Charles Tiu sounded upbeat upon seeing Serbian big man Boban Marjanovic move well in practice as the team prepares for the upcoming William Jones Cup in Taipei.
At 37, Tiu said he’s glad to see the 7-foot-4 former NBA slotman still able to keep pace with younger, faster players.
“He is actually in pretty good shape,” Tiu told The Manila Times. “He can still keep pace (with younger players) and he’s looking good.”
The former Serbian national player went undrafted in the NBA in 2010, but eventually went on to spend nine seasons in the globe’s most popular basketball league beginning with the San Antonio Spurs in 2015.
Marjanovic also went on to play for the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets from 2022-24.
Strong Group is locked and loaded, having been on a recruiting spree that saw the Philippine representative tap Puerto Rican forward Isaiah Piñiero as another reinforcement to join Marjanovic and returning import Tajuan Agee.
“Different batch, new players. We just need to adjust to playing with one another, new guards so it will be interesting,” he added.
Adding depth in the local side are Titan Ultra forward William Navarro, Filipino-American guard Remy Martin, Gilas 3x3 naturalized player Malick Diouf, along with returnees Dave Ildefonso, DJ Fenner, collegiate standouts Allen Liwag, and Titing Manalili, former Gilas gunner Matthew Wright, and Shaun Ildefonso.
