Charles Tiu finally gets his shot as PBA head coach with Phoenix 

For Charles Tiu, the head coaching job at Phoenix is less a sudden promotion and more the culmination of a journey that has quietly stretched across a decade and a half.

The Fuel Masters confirmed Tuesday that Tiu has accepted the vacant head coaching post, an appointment finalized Monday evening. At 37, he finally steps into a role many in basketball circles felt was inevitable, given his extensive résumé built in the shadows of some of the sport’s most respected tacticians.

“I’m just a simple guy from Xavier School, and now I get another chance to compete against the best coaches in the country and to coach some of the best players as well. That makes this opportunity truly exciting,” Tiu told Tiebreaker Times, as he became the first Xaverian to be named a PBA head coach.

Tiu’s coaching roots trace back to the national team, where he cut his teeth as a deputy to Rajko Toroman with Gilas Pilipinas from 2009 to 2011. From there, he navigated the PBA landscape as an assistant under Bo Perasol at Powerade before rejoining Toroman at Barako Bull, experiences that shaped his grounding in professional basketball.

While his PBA roles were largely behind the scenes, Tiu’s name steadily grew louder elsewhere. In 2018, he guided Go For Gold to the PBA D-League Foundation Cup title, a breakthrough moment that hinted at his readiness to lead. His reputation only expanded overseas, where he handled high-profile international squads.

With Mighty Sports, Tiu delivered championships at the 2019 William Jones Cup and the 2020 Dubai International Basketball Championship. He later carried that success to Strong Group Athletics, steering the program to back-to-back William Jones Cup titles in 2024 and 2025 — a rare feat that further solidified his standing as a program builder.

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READY TO ELEVATE PHOENIX

Charles Tiu is set to make his PBA head coaching debut for the Phoenix Fuel Masters in the Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup, replacing coach Willy Wilson.

Tiu previously served as an assistant coach with Meralco and later as lead deputy for Converge. pic.twitter.com/5Eh7wYrctc

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) January 20, 2026

His return to the PBA in 2021 saw him working under Norman Black at Meralco, followed by a lead assistant role at Converge in 2024. Yet even with years of preparation, the call to take over Phoenix still came as a surprise.

“I’m happy to have the opportunity to coach in the PBA again. I never expected or imagined that I would be here at all — this was totally unplanned. I actually had quite a few vacation trips scheduled this year, which I guess we’ll have to cancel for now,” Tiu said with a laugh.

Tiu replaces Willy Wilson, whose contract was not renewed after a single conference that ended with Phoenix posting a 3–8 record. The challenge awaiting him is clear: the Fuel Masters have missed the playoffs in five straight conferences, a drought the new coach is determined to end.

“To be honest, the first goal is to make the playoffs. I think the team hasn’t reached the playoffs in the last five conferences, so we’ll try to break that streak,” he said.

Balancing his duties as concurrent head coach of College of St. Benilde, Tiu will be joined on the Phoenix bench by TY Tang and Paolo Layug, alongside holdovers Paolo Dizon and Jon Jacinto — a mix of familiarity and fresh voices aimed at resetting the franchise.

As he embarks on his first PBA head coaching assignment, Tiu was quick to acknowledge the people who shaped his path.

“I’m just thankful to Boss Dennis Uy and Boss RTZ (Atty. Raymond Zorilla) for the trust, and of course to the people in my life who have guided me and taken a chance on me — the Benilde community; Boss Frank Lao of SGA; Boss Dennis Uy and Gov. Delta (Pineda) from Converge; Coach Norman Black; Caesar Wongchuking of Mighty Sports; Boss JB Baylon of Powerade; and Coach Rajko, who gave me my first break,” he shared.

Now, after years of preparation across leagues and continents, Tiu finally gets his chance to put his own imprint on the PBA — with Phoenix serving as both his proving ground and his long-awaited opportunity.

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