ROOKIE Tyler Tio just shrugged off the recent incident between him and Alec Stockton, but did appreciate the gesture of the Converge guard who later personally apologized to him.
Tio referred to the episode as just ‘part of the game.’
“It is what it is. No hard feelings,” said a smiling Tio when asked about it.
Stockton was caught on video that has since gone viral hitting Tio at the back of the head as they battle for rebounding position during the Converge-Phoenix PBA Philippine Cup game last week at the Mall of Asia Arena.
After the hit, Stockton followed it up and elbowed the former Ateneo guard on the stomach as he was about to run back at the other end of the floor.
No calls were made on both plays.
Stockton went to social media the following day and apologized to Tio, regretting the actions he did.
Apart from his public apology, the Fil-Am guard out of Far Eastern University also sent out a personal note to Tio.
“He apologized to me personally through Instagram. Wala na yun. It’s part of the game,” said the 24-year-old Fuel Master.
“Actually nagulat ako nag-sorry pa siya, e.”

More than those physical plays, Tio is focused more on the way Phoenix ended its first conference campaign in his rookie season.
The Fuel Masters exited with a 3-8 standings, a record that doesn’t reflected the way they competed in the tournament as Tio pointed out.
“We had four or five games that definitely we could have won. If you look at our team stats, most of them (teams where they lost), most of them are up there in the Top 5. We just lost our games in the end,” he said.
“So I think one thing that we can work on is closing out games better next conference.”
But if there’s one positive take on Phoenix’s campaign, it’s Tio coming out as a bright prospect for the team after averaging 11.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, while shooting a high 49 percent from deep and 52 percent from the field.
And considering he’s a second round pick by the Fuel Masters selected at No. 14 in the recent draft.
Tio said nothing would be possible without the trust of the coaching staff and the veteran players of the team.
“It all goes back to the trust coach Topex has given me kasi kung wala yung tiwala na binibigay niya sa akin, I wouldn’t be able to perform. Not just coach Topex, the veterans also trust me to run our system, to shoot my shots, walang nagagalit. So it’s a very non-toxic environment to play in,” he added.
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