ANTIPOLO – Entering the final conference of his rookie year, Geo Chiu now has to find a way to adjust with a returning sheriff on board for Terrafirma.
The no. 1 overall pick of Season 50 draft admitted adapting to a new scheme with Juami Tiongson now the one calling the plays for the Dyip in the PBA Governors Cup following the departure of Jerrick Ahanmisi to San Miguel.
Being a 12-year veteran, the 6-foot-10 center considered Tiongson more of a leader on the court, whereas the 28-year-old Ahanmisi operates more as the team’s go-to-guy after averaging 21.2 points and 4.6 assists.
READ: Geo Chiu's 19-23 double-double leads Terrafirma past Titan Ultra
“Si (Kuya) Juami tinutulungan niya kami. Leader talaga siya.. Malaking bagay na napunta siya sa team naming, kasi kami puro mga bata pa kami, so leadership talaga niya malaking tulong sa amin,” said Chiu of the veteran guard who went home after being traded by San Miguel – along with rookie Chris Miller and a second round pick in Season 52 – for Ahanmisi and Paolo Hernandez.
Positive adjustment
That adjustment certainly is for the better from the looks of things.
In his first game playing alongside Tiongson, the rookie center already posted career-highs in both scoring and rebounding by finishing with 19 points and 23 rebounds in a 113-100 win over Titan Ultra Friday night in the opener of the season’s third and final conference.
Chui pointed out to Tiongson facilitating Terrafirma’s plays as one of the major reasons for him achieving the milestones.
“Especially ako big man, so yung play style niya malaking tulong sa akin especially kung paano kami mag work as a team,” he said.
Incidentally, both Tiongson and Chiu were both products of Ateneo, who won UAAP men's basketball title with the school in two separate eras.
Chiu hopes to sustain those big numbers once the Dyip return to the playing court on Sunday against the NLEX Road Warriors on Sunday at the Ynares Center in Montalban.
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