For the first time, Chris Tiu joined Rain or Shine in a battle against another PBA team.
In a tuneup between the Elasto Painters against the Meralco Bolts Friday, Tiu scored 15 points and played both guard spots, looking comfortable despite just returning from a hamstring injury that prevented him from training full-speed with the team.
With the tuneup game on the line, in fact, it was Tiu who was tasked to take the last shot for Rain or Shine.
Tiu found himself isolated at right quarter court against Meralco veteran Reynel Hugnatan with five seconds left in overtime, and the score tied 116-all. He drove past Hugnatan and let loose a jumper from the elbow, but the shot rimmed out as time expired.
“It would have been a dramatic ending had I made that shot,” Tiu told InterAKTV in an exclusive interview.
Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio and Rain or Shine assistant Caloy Garcia, who took over the reins for Yeng Guiao for the tuneup, decided not to continue with a second overtime period.
“I was really excited to play. I’m still not 100 percent but my harmstring injury is getting better and better each day,” said Tiu, who admitted that being a PBA player hasn’t quite sunk in yet.
“Parang hindi pa rin ako sanay.”
Garcia said Tiu is about 70 percent fit, adding that the team expects even more from the former SMART-Gilas Pilipinas team captain.
“We just want to give him the PBA feel,” said Garcia. “You’ve got to give him the confidence. We know he can play during pressure-packed situations.”
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