PBA: Stephen Holt starting to live up to expectations

TerraFirma's Stephen Holt in action against Converge in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum, March 1, 2024. PBA Images.

MANILA -- Stephen Holt is showing signs of the talent and skill that made him the top overall pick in the most recent PBA Rookie Draft.

His performances in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup bode well for the TerraFirma Dyip, as the team is now off to their best start since the 2016 Governors' Cup.

"I've always said that stats don't matter, it's all about winning, lifting and elevating the group and being a positive influence both offensively and defensively," said Holt, who emerged as the All-Filipino tournament's first PBA Press Corps-Pilipinas Live Player of the Week.

Though he downplays his statistics, Holt has been influential for TerraFirma in their first two games. He has put up 22.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 4.5 steals in wins over Converge and NLEX.

He opened the Philippine Cup by resetting his season-high with 27 points while contributing 10 rebounds, four assists and five steals and the Dyip rolled past the FiberXers, 107-99, on March 1.

Two days later saw Holt go for 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals in a hard-fought 99-95 win over the Road Warriors that put the Dyip at 2-0, tying another perennial bottom feeder in the Blackwater Bossing.

READ: Tiongson, Holt excel as TerraFirma fends off Converge

READ: TerraFirma continues strong start with slim win over NLEX

Terrafirma hasn't been to the playoffs since the 2016 Governors' Cup, holding the league's longest active drought. At that time, the franchise won four in a row on its way to making the top eight.

It's a destination that Holt and the Dyip, who are also led by the likes of first-time All-Star Juami Tiongson, Javi Gomez de Liano and Isaac Go, are looking to reach this time.

"It's really difficult for a group like us that hasn't tasted too much success," said Holt. "We just have to stay positive, keep working like we had in the lead-up to this conference. Again, we can only control what we can control."

Holt was the unanimous choice for the award given weekly by the men and women covering the beat, edging Tiongson and Blackwater's Troy Rosario.