Meralco's Vucinic happy to cross paths with old pal Bajramovic of Eastern in the PBA

Meralco Bolts active consultant Nenad Vucinic said he was happy to have gone against Hong Kong Eastern's Mensur Bajramovic in the PBA Commissioner's Cup.

The Bolts defeated Eastern, 88-83, on Sunday as the PBA resumed its games after the holiday break.

"I was so happy. I was nervous because I had to play against him. I know how good of a coach he is, and it's difficult to be coaching against such a close friend. He's like a brother to me," said the Serbian Vucinic about his Bosnian friend Bajramovic.

The two met while their countries were still under Yugoslavia. However, the two only reconnected ten years ago.

While the two remained active in basketball, Vucinic said it is only just in the PBA where they were able to cross paths because of the sport.

"I was coaching the New Zealand national team, he was the coach of Bosnia national team, Syrian national team, Kuwait national team, and we never crossed paths. And he coached in Lebanon a year after I coached. So it was like we never crossed paths. And of all, the Philippines. The fact that I knew he was in Hong Kong, for one, and the fact that his team came to be a guest in the PBA is great," he said.

After Sunday's match, the Bolts improved to 4-2, while Eastern slipped to 6-3.

—Justin Kenneth Carandang/JMB, GMA Integrated News