George Christian T. Chia, widely known as Gec Chia, is a Filipino business executive and former professional basketball player. He played for Ateneo de Manila University, made the decisive basket that sent Ateneo to the 2002 UAAP finals, and later competed in the Philippine Basketball Association before moving into the furniture business.
Background
Chia was born on August 19, 1979, in Zamboanga City, in the southern Philippines. He initially wanted to play tennis, but the growing popularity of basketball in Zamboanga led him to take up the sport at Saint Joseph High School. He represented Zamboanga in the Palarong Pambansa and became a high-school standout, although he was not recruited by a Metro Manila basketball program immediately after graduation.
His early sporting development took place in a Philippine basketball culture in which school competitions served as an important route into collegiate and professional play. Chia eventually established himself through Ateneo de Manila University's intramural competition before receiving an opportunity to join the university's varsity program.
Education
Chia attended Saint Joseph High School in Zamboanga City and later studied at Ateneo de Manila University, where he majored in computer science and competed in the university's intramural basketball program. Ateneo de Manila traces its origins to a Jesuit school founded in 1859, became a private institution in the early twentieth century, and received university status in 1959. Its Loyola Schools combine liberal-arts education with programs in science, engineering, management, and the social sciences.
Chia completed a Management Information Systems diploma and later earned a master's degree in information technology at Ateneo. His studies gave him a technical and management-oriented background that complemented his subsequent transition from professional basketball to business leadership.
Career
Chia began playing organized basketball at Saint Joseph High School in Zamboanga and represented the city in the Palarong Pambansa. At Ateneo de Manila University, he became known for his intramural play and was noticed by coach Joe Lipa, who added him to the Blue Eagles roster for the 2001 season. He initially served as a reserve, including behind players such as LA Tenorio and Wesley Gonzales.
His defining collegiate moment came in the 2002 UAAP semifinals against the University of the East. With the score tied and 7.8 seconds remaining, Chia received a pass from Tenorio and made the winning basket, sending Ateneo to the finals. He scored five points in the first finals game and 11 points in the title-clinching third game as Ateneo won the UAAP championship. He was also recognized as the league's Most Improved Player.
Chia entered the Philippine Basketball Association in 2003 after being selected twenty-eighth overall by the Coca-Cola Tigers. He played for Coca-Cola from 2003 to 2005 and was part of the team's 2003 Reinforced Conference championship. After returning to the Philippine Basketball League, he joined Harbour Centre and helped the team win the 2006 Unity Cup. He subsequently played for the Barangay Ginebra Kings, Air21 Express, Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters, and Barako Bull Energy Boosters. He was part of Talk 'N Text's 2008–2009 Philippine Cup championship team and played his final recorded PBA games with Barako Bull during the 2009–2010 season.
After his basketball career, Chia moved into business management. He became managing director of Poliform in the Philippines, a company associated with the distribution of high-end Italian modular furniture. Poliform's Philippine distribution operation forms part of the country's luxury interior and furnishings market, linking his later career to design, retail, and business administration.
Personality
Physical Characteristics:
He was listed as approximately 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 meters) tall and 185 pounds (84 kilograms) during his basketball career.
Quotes from others about the person
Ateneo coach Joel Banal described Chia's decisive 2002 UAAP semifinal basket as a "miracle."
Connections
Chia is married, and his wife has been identified as Poliform's marketing head.
