AS HE entered a crucial bout against the league-leading FEU Tamaraws, Growling Tigers rookie and former Batang Gilas recruit Andrew Chio uncorked his best performance in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament so far.
The former Xavier School standout delivered a crucial performance of 14 points against FEU, fueling the Growling Tigers to an 81-69 win on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Chio appreciated the trust given to him by the coaching staff, which allowed him to stay in the game’s waning minutes despite being the youngest player on the roster.
“I just gained my confidence from my coaches and my teammates. Even if I’m the youngest on the team, they still have the trust in me,” Chio told The Flame.
In 25 minutes of action, Chio shot an efficient 55% from the field, including a crucial four-point-play to ignite a 29-9 third quarter for UST.
Although the breakthrough performance was an encouraging step in his campaign, Chio remains grounded as he prepares for the challenges ahead throughout the season.
“I can’t let it get to my head too much because it’s still just the first round… I hope we can keep it up,” Chio said.
Now holding a 3-3 win-loss card, the Tigers find themselves in a logjam in the standings, holding similar records with Adamson, DLSU and Ateneo.
The Tigers will look to close the first round strong against the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion. F – Liam Viray
