PASADO si Tyler Tio sa kanyang PBA debut, bagaman natalo ang Phoenix sa San Miguel Beer 108-100 nitong Miyerkoles sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Starter agad ni coach Topex Robinson ang dating guard ng Ateneo, sinuklian niya ng 17 points mula perpektong 5 for 5 shooting sa labas ng arc.
“’Coach Topex told me on draft night that they were looking for a starting point guard,” ani Tio, second round pick (14th) overall ng Fuel Masters noong May 15. “Just really thankful for the trust that he gave me. He told me after a couple of practice na he’d gonna start me, so I just had to repay his trust.”
Star-struck din si Tio sa mga veterans ng Beermen na dati ay pinapanood niya sa TV.
“Obviously I watched June Mar (Fajardo) on TV, but the guy’s a different beast when you’re playing against him. He killed us in the paint,” natatawa niyang sabi. “Not just him. Vic Manuel killed us, CJ (Perez) killed us with his drives.”
Humarabas si Fajardo ng 24 points, 15 rebounds, may 24 markers din si Manuel at 19 kay Perez. (VE)
