Serbian newcomer Filip Borovicanin adapting versatile game to Tommy Lloyd's Wildcats

Despite being a freshman from Serbia who has been around for only two months, Filip Borovicanin already has picked up a bunch of new things.

Such as: A taste for chicken wings (“probably Buffalo”), a fellow Serbian mentor (ex-Wildcat Dusan Ristic), North American hip-hop (“a lot of Drake”) and, of course, the Tucson summer experience (“it is so much hotter here.”)

There’s also one thing he might have lost, courtesy of UA coach Tommy Lloyd: The little bit of hot dog in his game.

“When I first came here, I passed a lot of no-look passes and everything,” Borovicanin said Wednesday, when he was formally introduced to local media at McKale Center. “(Lloyd) tried (to get) me to play more simple, or on two feet.”

It was the first phase in Borovicanin’s transition from do-everything combo-guard for a Serbian amateur club to a high-ceiling developmental player for the Wildcats. Listed at 6-foot-9 and 185 pounds, Borovicanin (pronounced “Boro-VEECH-uh-nin) is the sort of big, versatile wing player that can work well in Lloyd’s screen-heavy, fast-flowing system.

“I think I can I can fit great here because I can shoot, I can pass, I can play off the ball and on ball,” Borovicanin said. “I don’t know which role Coach Tommy will give me this year. But whether it’s going to be supporting (the) team from the bench or playing in a game, scoring baskets and assists, I’ll try to do my best to help them win games.”

When Arizona signed Borovicanin in May, Lloyd said it remained to be seen what sort of role he would play as a freshman. On the perimeter, UA already has returnees Kerr Kriisa, Pelle Larsson and Adama Bal, plus five-star freshman Kylan Boswell and graduate transfers Courtney Ramey and Cedric Henderson.

But whenever the timetable is, Lloyd also indicated that Borovicanin is at least a long-term fit as a big wing with potential to take some of the point-guard duties.

“I think he’s a guy that can really shoot from the perimeter, he’s comfortable from midrange and finishing inside,” Lloyd said. “He’s also comfortable handling the ball in ball-screen situations, and (in) making passes and reads.

“I love guys that are comfortable handling the ball and making decisions, and having multiple ball-handlers. He definitely falls in that category.”

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

While undergoing offseason workouts on the court this summer, Borovicanin also had a chance to meet Ristic, who visited Tucson last month for the first time since his UA career ended in 2018 due to pandemic restrictions.

“We went to some lunch and he’s a great guy,” Borovicanin said of Ristic, adding that he’s also heard of UA’s other former Serbian player, forward Ivan Radenovic (2003-07), but didn’t know him.

Ristic is now playing a reserve post role behind NBA All-Star Nikola Jokic on the undefeated Serbian national team (4-0) in EuroBasket play. Naturally, Borovicanin said he’s watched Serbia’s games but also those of Estonia, where Kriisa is one of the team’s standouts.

“I think he’s great player,” Borovicanin said. “He can do everything. He can shoot the basketball and he helps the team a lot with his energy.”

Kriisa, Estonia to face Greece

Kriisa is scheduled to play his last EuroBasket 2022 game for Estonia against Greece on Thursday at 8 a.m. (ESPN Plus). It will be the final group stage game for Estonia (1-3), which is in fifth place in Group C behind Greece, Ukraine, Italy and Croatia, all of which have already clinched the top four spots that allow advancement to the elimination stage.

In four EuroBasket games so far, Kriisa is averaging 10.5 points, 6.3 assists and 3.5 turnovers while shooting 37.1% from the field overall and 33.3% from 3-point range.

Warmups added vs Saint Mary’s, Western Oregon

While Arizona still has one open home game remaining on its 2022-23 schedule, the Wildcats have agreed to hold their usual private preseason scrimmage against Saint Mary’s in Phoenix on Oct. 22. Fans and media are not allowed to attend.

The Wildcats will then host one public exhibition game, against Western Oregon, on Nov. 1. UA is scheduled to open the regular season on Nov. 7 against Nicholls State.