MANILA, Philippines – Even though Joe Devance only plays for Barangay Ginebra for ten or fifteen minutes at most, that is still a substantial amount of time, especially in the upcoming PBA Governors Cup finals when the stakes are high.

Coach Tim Cone remains hopeful that King will have Devance return in the latter stages of the title series versus TNT Tropang Giga, despite the 42-year-old power forward’s knee ailment (bone bruise) sustained in the semifinal series against San Miguel.

The Ginebra coach doesn’t envision his longtime player returning for the finals opener at least, as he only has a week to heal and Game 1 of the title series is scheduled for Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Regarding veteran forward Joe Devance, coach Tim Cone gave an update, stating that the player is still recuperating from an injury. Devance’s comeback to the court is doubtful as he continues to use crutches and wears a brace. Cone highlighted the difficulties of Devance’s current state and voiced uncertainty about his ability to recuperate in time for the first game, which is only a week away.

Cone is still optimistic that the seasoned player might return later in the series, even though it seems doubtful that Devance will be able to play in a week. Devance, who is renowned for his leadership and tenacity, would be a huge asset to the squad, particularly considering his wealth of postseason experience. Cone did, however, stress how crucial it is to make sure Devance is completely healthy before returning to the starting lineup, implying that the team will keep a careful eye on his recuperation.

After suffering a knee injury after an unintentional hit from San Miguel import EJ Anosike in the previous game, Devance, who had to come out of retirement to assist Barangay Ginebra in filling the void in the middle caused by Isaac Go’s injury, arrived in street clothes and on crutches during Game 6 of the semifinals.

The 12-time champion, who was persuaded to come out of retirement after returning to the country for a brief vacation, stated that he is also unsure of when he will be available for the upcoming finals.

However, Devance offered experienced big man Japeth Aguilar minutes of rest upon his return, which was a major relief during this round of the competition where games are played at a high level of intensity and speed.

Devance averaged 10 minutes of action, 2.2 points, and 1.2 rebounds over his eight playoff games.

Cone was appreciative of the Fil-Am big man, who has played him since their time with Alaska, for that reason alone.

Despite being out for a considerable amount of time, veteran forward Joe Devance recently made a heroic comeback to the floor for Barangay Ginebra, and coach Tim Cone voiced both admiration and concern for him. Cone recognized the challenge Devance faced in making the abrupt return to elite basketball after a hiatus, without having the time to adequately prepare for the demands of the game or condition his body. Devance performed brilliantly in spite of these obstacles, which Cone called “amazing” considering the situation.

Devance’s comeback was sadly short-lived as he missed multiple games because of injury. His absence dealt Ginebra a serious setback, particularly as the team looked to unseat TNT Tropang Giga as the PBA Governors’ Cup champions. Cone clarified that in order to prevent exacerbating any possible ailments, the coaching team had been cautious with Devance, carefully allocating his minutes. Nevertheless, the seasoned forward still had a defeat in spite of these efforts.

Devance’s presence on the court is essential due to his leadership and experience, in addition to his skill set. Cone is still optimistic that Devance will return later in the season and provide the Kings the much-needed push they need to win the title again, especially since Ginebra is embroiled in a fierce battle for it. Given how beneficial his flexibility and basketball IQ are to the squad, his possible return might be crucial.

Cone and his team are keeping a careful eye on Devance’s health in the hopes that he will recover quickly.