College basketball standout and television host Chris Tiu is a marked man both on and off the court.
Amidst all the hype generated by the championship showdown between bitter rivals Ateneo De Manila University's Blue Eagles and the De La Salle University's Green Archers, the Tiu family reportedly hired bodyguards to accompany the sweet-shooting swingman against possible danger.
Regarded as the heart and soul of the Blue Eagles, Chris was reportedly being hounded by unknown individuals since the title duel pitting the two elite college squads was settled last week. Authorities fear that Chris's reputation as Ateneo's main offensive weapon makes him vulnerable to threats coming from suspected members of game-fixing syndicates.
Both the UAAP and the NCAA have been hounded with game-fixing issues for several years. Last July 24, FEU Tamarraws main man Mac Baracael was shot by an unidentified gunman outside the campus. The attack sidelined Baracael for a number of games but was able to return at the tail-end of the tournament's second round. Although the motive behind the shooting remains sketchy, speculations are strong that people involved in altering game results were directly involved.
Game 1 of the UAAP Finals opened yesterday with the Blue Eagles drawing first blood over the Archers, 69-61, to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three affair.
Tiu only scored 2 points and was totally a non-factor throughout the game. Team officials, however, dismissed the assumption that Tiu's lackluster performance was brought about by security threats. Foul trouble, they pointed out, was the main reason behind Chris's poor showing.
Aside from juggling basketball and school, the Chinese-Filipino athlete is the host of GMA-7's Ripley's Believe it or Not and Pinoy Records alongside Pinoy boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.