From one tough assignment to another, Stephen Holt embraces his role as Barangay Ginebra’s designated stopper.
After holding down NorthPort scorer Arvin Tolentino way below his scoring average in the semifinals, the 6-foot-4 guard is now tasked to put the clamps on TNT’s Calvin Oftana when the Kings shoot for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup title.
The acquisition from Terrafirma before the start of the season has taken a backseat on offense playing in a stacked Ginebra lineup but still earned an active part in head coach Tim Cone’s rotation for his defensive tenacity.
His top-tier defense was on full display during the semis, limiting the Best Player of the Conference frontrunner Tolentino’s average to 12.8 points compared to his 23 markers per game in the elimination round.
With Tolentino shackled, the Kings finished off the top-seeded NorthPort in five games with all four won matches decided by an average 22.2 winning margin to set up a finals rematch against season-opening Governors’ Cup finals tormentor Tropang Giga.
Cone expects the same effort from the 33-year-old Filipino-American when Ginebra tries to flip the script against their fierce rival in the best-of-seven series starting Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Holt said he is in for the challenge.
“I’m definitely going with my role in this group. Honestly, we take pride in our defense. (And) I was able to show my skills on that end,” last season’s Rookie of the Year said.
However, Oftana, who has built a strong case to steal the BPC from Tolentino, could be a handful even for Holt.
The Gilas Pilipinas member averaged 16.0 points and shot 46 percent from the three-point area in TNT’s five-game series win over Rain or Shine.
But Holt is unfazed by his matchup with Oftana or anyone from the Tropang Giga side.
“I’m looking forward to competing against all the other guys in TNT, and hopefully, we can get the job done this time,” Holt added.
The Kings are looking to avenge a pair of title series losses to the Tropang Giga in their third finals meeting in the past five conferences.
“It’s gonna be a great series. Obviously, we have very talented players. (But) we’re still working on our game plan, matchups and what-not,” Holt said.
Ginebra is coming into the series with a lot of confidence with Jamie Malonzo and Jeremiah Gray back from calf and knee injuries, respectively, and the addition of former TNT forward Troy Rosario.
Tropang Giga will be handicapped with the absence of Governors’ Cup Finals Most Valuable Player Jayson Castro after sustaining a season-ending knee injury.
“Obviously, we’re very confident we like our chances. This is why we compete. Two great teams, two great coaches and a lot of great players. So let’s just roll the dice and see what happens,” Holt said.