We've been Tiu-torized!

Brother Jonas has been Tiu-torized

We'll be the first to admit it.

When a certain Chris Tiu started making waves out of Xavier High School we didn't really care as much. He's around our age, and we have mutual friends, but we've always belittled his abilities as a basketball player. When he chose Ateneo over La Salle where he's Xavier buddies Joseph Yeo and TY Tang were starring, we (because of our green bloodlines) cursed him out and saw him as no better than Ateneo prep star turned DLSU backup BJ Manalo.

Tiu brought out all the insecurities among all male basketball fans. While the women shrieked and frolicked, we booed and called out his lack of athleticism and speed. His efforts with Ateneo didn't really change anything. He was the guy who would knock down open threes or jumpers benefiting from superstar teammates throughout his collegiate basketball career. He was solid, yes, but definitely not someone you'd bestow James Yap kingship over.

Even when he suited up and became the poster boy for the Philippine National Team dubbed SMART Gilas, we saw it as a way for Tiu to make a name in basketball without having to be part of the more physical professional league (the PBA) where his weaknesses as a slow-footed, undersized shooting guard would be exposed. Some would go as far to say that Gilas was built for Tiu by his sponsors who want to see him succeed and be the new Alvin Patrimonio (although heavily misplaced, because Cap is Cap while Tiu's skillset doesn't even belong in the upper echelon of collegiate guards).

As a person, we respect Tiu. Maturity comes with time, and while we saw him as a threat to steal our women years back, now we see him as someone we could model/pattern our sons over. Great guy, nice smile, all around academic, TV and basketball star plus a public servant in his barangay. How can you hate on a guy who finds time for all of that and doesn't blow off or isn't caught up in a sex scandal? Kung si Cap nga nasasabit kay Kris Aquino e...

Anyway, 5 games into his PBA professional career and we're being re-introduced to Tiu and his style of play. No, he's still not the quickest guard out there. And yes, he looks terribly under-sized although he's put on some muscle (think the modern day, Chinito Patrick Fran).

Averaging a respectable 7.5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists in a little over 18 minutes a game, Tiu is definitely winning a lot of people over with his game and not just his school boy charms. Rain or Shine, the team that picked him, was probably banking on his fanbase more than his actual basketball skills when they picked him in this year's draft. Not to take anything away from Tiu, but there were other guys that they could've picked (like Deutchman or Mandani) and would've made an even bigger ripple for their team.

But Tiu's okay. Nay, he's been great. He's playing a hybrid point guard-shooting guard type. He helps slow down the game for RoS, always knows where he is supposed to be by finding the open spots on the floor (which helps RoS' spacing by a mile) and hardly turns the ball over. On defense, Tiu is showing that he knows a couple of tricks (re: gulang) that he probably picked up from playing for Gilas. He's holding his own out there, and it's making a big difference.

Also, with Tiu on the floor with the returning Paul Lee, RoS looks even more unstoppable. Lee runs the floor and is the first option on offense as the premier slasher of the team, Tiu provides a steady back-up (think of it as a Joseph Yeo-Denok Miranda pairing back with Santa Lucia; not the one with Petron). Jeff Chan slides to the 3 spot where he pulls today's athletic, rebounding wings way out of their comfort zones because they can't freelance on D anymore and have to keep to the three point specialist. Gabe Norwood moves up to power forward where his athleticism, basketball IQ and height is unparalleled and whichever big man for RoS is having a career night at the 5 (usually either Jervy Cruz or Beau Belga for offense, JayR Quinahan for defense).

So yeah, Tiu does help the RoS cause more than he hurts them. If he's hurting anyone, it's his buddy TY Tang whose minutes he took but it's all good since they're friends anyway and Tiu pretty much does everything Tang does (save for the fastbreak, pull up free throw J) while being literally a couple of inches taller.

Can Tiu keep this up for RoS? Bank on it. Hamstring injuries and poor conditioning aside, Tiu will definitely get his minutes under Coach Yeng Guiao. He won't be dropping 20 points a game anytime soon, but he'll be pretty solid much like Atenean pal Larry Fonacier is for Talk 'n' Text.

We've been Tiu-torized!

P.S.

Sa tingin lang namin ha, mas pogi ung Charles Tiu e.