THE tall task of carrying a team suggested by armchair pundits as the pro league’s laughing stock and that nearly disbanded now rests on the broad shoulders of big man Geo Chiu.
But the No. 1 pick overall in last Sunday night’s annual PBA rookie Draft is unfazed and said he wants to change that narrative and help the Dyip become a winning team.
“Siyempre medyo nagulat pa rin, like with all the speculations, nothing sure naman. So, like being picked first, parang hindi pa rin ako maka-get over. Mahirap paniwalaan na mag-first ka ‘di ba?” Chiu said at the Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay. “But nonetheless, very grateful for this. I’m super grateful for my team. They’re very well for believing and choosing me as their first pick this 50th season of the PBA. Ako naman like entering a team, that’s something that you want to do.
“Like you want to help the team and hopefully get some wins. But like siyempre it also depends sa coaches and sa samahan namin ng mga teammates namin. So, hopefully, as the season goes by, the more games we play, hopefully we build more chemistry and hopefully, it will help us get more wins,” he added.
One cannot blame the 6-foot-9 center.
Chiu, 24, has two UAAP titles in a not-so-glorious but decent collegiate career with Ateneo under coach Tab Baldwin and toughened up overseas in the second division of the Japan B.League.
Ace playmaker Juan Gómez de Liaño went to Converge at No. 2—a selection originally from Phoenix but was traded to the FiberXers for the latter’s No. 8 pick.
Blackwater chose highly-touted Fil-Italian point guard and former Gilas Pilipinas Youth standout Dalph Panopio.
Chiu, however, has to cool his heels first.
A live contract with MPBL powerhouse squad Abra should make Chiu unavailable to suit up for Terrafirma’s bid early in the season-opening Philippine Cup that unwraps on Oct. 5 but that’s just fine.
“Napag-usapan namin na if ever na may mga breaks kami, I could come over and join team practices. Para lang you know, kahit paano at the start of the season, makapag-get together with the teammates and makapag-practice na rin,” he said of his coming stint with the Ronald Tubid-mentored side.
“Mga December po siguro. I think, the last game, if ever we reach the finals, December po siguro.”
The wait before Tiu can steer the wheels of the Dyip better be worth it.
