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Stephen Holt on facing Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in PBA Finals: ‘You can’t stop him’

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Romwel Anzures

ABS-CBN News

<div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1729507677536IMG_5410.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Barangay Ginebra star Stephen Holt. Photo from PBA Images."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Barangay Ginebra star Stephen Holt. <em>Photo from PBA Images</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Stephen Holt will have the chance to add another championship to his lengthy basketball resume.</p><p>The 6-foot-4 guard was among Barangay Ginebra San Miguel&#x27;s weapons in their PBA Governors&#x27; Cup semifinals victory over the San Miguel Beermen, as the 2023-24 Rookie of the Year normed 14 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 0.8 blocks in six games against SMB.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/10/20/ginebra-ousts-san-miguel-sets-up-govs-cup-finals-rematch-with-tnt-2134">READ: Ginebra ousts San Miguel, sets up Govs&#x27; Cup finals rematch with TNT</a></div><p>&quot;It&#x27;s a tremendous feeling,&quot; said Holt, who also did his part on the other end by defending the likes of EJ Anosike and CJ Perez for him to earn his first-ever PBA Finals appearance.</p><p>&quot;Every step in my career so far in the PBA, I tell you guys here all the time — I&#x27;m here to win — so I&#x27;ll do whatever I can do to help the team,&quot; he added. </p><p>Holt&#x27;s last professional basketball championship was in 2017 when he won the Czech National Basketball League (NBL) title with CEZ Nymburk. </p><p>Following these are a number of bridesmaid finishes across different leagues, and he admitted that he will use these heartbreaks as fuel in their upcoming bout against the TNT Tropang Giga. </p><p>&quot;I&#x27;ve been so close to winning a championship in Europe, that&#x27;s why I&#x27;m so hungry. My last championship was in 2017, so it&#x27;s been a long time,&quot; he shared. &quot;I&#x27;ve come in second place so many times in Europe, so I kinda use that as motivation.&quot;</p><p>However, Holt understands that their best-of-7 affair with the Tropang Giga will not be a walk in the park.</p><p>&quot;They are very talented. They go up and down the floor, so we just got to compete against them. What&#x27;s gonna take is a total team effort,&quot; emphasized the former TerraFirma Dyip star. </p><p>To enter the Finals, TNT is coming off a gentleman&#x27;s sweep of the Rain or Shine ElastoPainters, and heading this dominant triumph of Chot Reyes&#x27; troops was Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. <span></span></p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1729507730277IMG_5409.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="TNT Tropang Giga star Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Photo from PBA Images."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">TNT Tropang Giga star Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. <em>Photo from PBA Images.</em></span></span></span></div><p>Hollis-Jefferson put up 26.2 markers, 12.0 boards, 7.2 dimes, 3.8 steals, and 2.2 blocks in five games versus the E-Painters, and Holt knows that the former NBA player is not stopping anytime soon. </p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s gonna be a total team effort [defending him],&quot; explained Holt. &quot;I don&#x27;t know if I&#x27;ll get the first crack on Rondae. It&#x27;s obviously gonna be a mix between me and [Justin Brownlee], but it&#x27;s gonna take a total team effort.&quot;</p><p>Fortunately for the Ginebra faithful, Stephen is not only bringing with him his previous Finals losses, but he also understands the weight and responsibility of delivering championships for the PBA&#x27;s most popular franchise. </p><p>&quot;I know what the culture is about, putting that Ginebra jersey on and what it means to the fans,&quot; he emphasized. &quot;So now that we&#x27;re here, we have to prepare and get ready. I have to take advantage of this opportunity.&quot;</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);min-height:13.8px"><span></span><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"> <span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-1yioHyqP18?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>Stephen Holt will have the chance to add another championship to his already-filled basketball resume.</p>

Stephen Holt will have the chance to add another championship to his already-filled basketball resume.