By Jerome Lagunzad
Heady guard Chris Tiu is playing his best basketball for perennial contender Rain or Shine these days and the Elasto Painters management is hoping the former Ateneo star will continue to do so – at least until the end of the pro league’s 43rd season.
Co-team owners Raymond Yu and Terry Que are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to convince the 5-foot-11 Tiu, 32, to put his retirement plans on hold for the nth time and keep himself as the stabilizing factor for the new-look Elasto Painters who have clinched the top spot in the elimination round of the PBA Commissioners Cup.
“He is planning to retire after this conference, but I just hope he finishes the (entire) season,” said Yu of Tiu, who’s been one of the biggest reasons behind Rain or Shine’s resurgence in the mid-season conference where a Top 2 finish will earn for itself a twice-to-beat advantage against the lowest-ranked teams in the quarterfinals.
While wide-bodied import Reggie Johnson appears to be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Elasto Painters, Tiu’s remarkable form won’t go unnoticed since he’s been making the most of his new and bigger role following the departure of former backcourt partners Paul Lee, Jeff Chan and Jericho Cruz.
In their near flawless run in the eliminations, capped by a 106-99 overtime victory over Meralco last Sunday, Tiu is averaging 12.4 points, 5.8 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game in what could be considered as his best stretch since being taken seventh overall by Rain or Shine back in the 2012 rookie draft.
Even Bolts coach Norman Black, who won a UAAP men’s cage title with Tiu back in 2008, is quite surprised with his string of solid performances.
“I have no idea but he seems to be relaxed now,” said the American mentor. “He’s always been a good player. They moved some players that were playing his position and probably he’s gotten an opportunity to have more minutes the conference so he has really performed well.”
Having recovered from his previous injuries, Tiu is also doing a commendable job juggling his acts since he’s also hands-on with their family business, including the Sterling Bank of Asia and the Discovery Suites, aside from his personal ventures.
“Chris has been a great asset in our team and we’re hoping that he could be with us for a longer period of time,” added Que. “He has proven that he still has it and he has really helped the team take it to the next level this conference.”
