By Waylon Galvez
After a colorful career starting his days at Ateneo in the UAAP, wily guard Chris Tiu has formally announced his retirement from the game.
Tiu, 33, made the revelation on his Twitter account as he thanked the people that helped him throughout his career, from the time when he started at Xavier School, to his stint at Ateneo and eventually a star with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the PBA.
“My heartfelt gratitude to every person who has been part of my basketball journey!!” Tiu posted Tuesday in his Twitter account @chris_tiu. “Most especially to our Lord who makes all things possible.”
“It’s now time to move on. My heart is full. #17 signing off…” added Tiu.
A 6-foot-0 guard, Tiu was a star high school player at Xavier and then he played college ball for the Blue Eagles, where he won a championship on his final year back in 2008.
After his career in the UAAP, Tiu was selected as among the top collegiate stalwarts by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) to the original Smart Gilas Pilipinas in 2009 and played for the national team in the FIBA Asia Championship in 2011 under Serbian coach Rajko Toroman.
In 2012, Tiu joined the PBA Rookie Draft and was picked No. 7 by Rain or Shine.
He won his only championship with the Painters during the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup under coach Yeng Guiao. He again played for Guiao with the national team during the Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia last year.
In his final game with Rain or Shine – the franchise owned by Terry Que and Raymond Yu – in the Governors’ Cup, an inspired Tiu scored a career-high 30 points in a thrilling 107-101 win over the NLEX Road Warriors mentored by Guiao last Nov. 3.
In his six-year professional career, Tiu averaged nearly six points, two rebounds and two assists.
Rain or Shine representative Mamerto Mondragon said that management respects Tiu’s decision, although he mentioned that the door would always be open for him is he decides to come back.
