AFTER five straight conferences of missing the PBA playoffs, Phoenix’s top management made another coaching change, relieved rookie mentor Willy Wilson after one conference, and appointed Charles Tiu as its new head coach.
Tiu’s entry hopes to bring the change the Fuel Masters need as it tries to be competitive once again in a league dominated by San Miguel Beer, TNT, Barangay Ginebra and fellow independent team Rain or Shine.
Tiu, who is expected to give up his head coaching role at College St. Benilde soon to focus on his new role at Phoenix, admitted that the first order of the day is to get the team back into the playoffs.
“We’ll try to win some games and make the playoffs. That would be a start,” Tiu told the Manila Times.
While that is easier said than done, Tiu believes this target is doable.
In fact, the brother of former Rain or Shine guard Chris Tiu said the Fuel Masters have some valuable personnel who can make this happen.
“We have some good pieces, a bit of a log jam in the forward spot , but I think we are still relatively young so we will see,” said Tiu, who declined to comment further since he has yet to fully assess his team.
Tiu, however, stressed the need for a foreign reinforcement who can plug the hole in the middle and serve as a solid ring protector heading to the Fuel Masters’ early preparations for the Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup which begins next month.
“We’re looking for an athletic agile big man who can protect the paint too,” said Tiu, who steered the Blazers to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Season 98 men’s basketball tournament.
Phoenix made its last playoff appearance during the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup, reaching the semifinals and pushing eventual conference runner-up Magnolia to five games in the series.
Tiu believes the team can return to the playoffs this season but, he said, he needs to create a team culture that desires to learn more.
“We just want to compete every game, stay disciplined and stay hungry. We have to understand that we are underdogs every game,” said Tiu.
Tiu gained prominence as head coach after piloting Mighty Sports to the basketball crowns in the 2019 William Jones Cup and the 2020 Dubai International Basketball Championship.
The Filipino basketball coach also guided the Strong Group Athletics to back-to-back tournament sweep of William Jones Cup in 2024 and 2025.
