Stephen Holt says Ginebra is “a testament to this culture” News_ad

Stephen Holt will get his first shot at the PBA title with Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – Ginebra started at the bottom and is now back in the finals.

And Stephen Holt couldn’t help but reference Drake’s beloved hit “Started from the Bottom,” which has aged like fine wine since its release in 2013.

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“We were a new group, we needed to build our chemistry,” Holt said after reaching his first PBA final with the Gin Kings, who eliminated San Miguel in the semifinals in six games.

“We really started from the bottom. No pun intended on this Drake song,” he added.

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Before the start of the season, Ginebra was without regular players Jamie Malonzo and Jeremiah Gray due to injuries.

Then the Gin Kings traded their reliable big Christian Standhardinger and rotation guard Stanley Pringle to Terrafirma for Holt, Isaac Go and the 2024 third overall pick, who turned out to be Abarrientos.

It’s basically a new squad that has to live up to the expectations of a strong team.

And as the Drake song goes, “this group didn’t feel like explaining too much.”

Instead, they let their actions speak for themselves.

READ: PBA: Stephen Holt enjoys first semifinal game with Ginebra

“We lost our first game against Rain or Shine and lost to Blackwater early on, but at the end of the day we just kept working, trusting the process and knowing that those setbacks would help us when it matters most in the playoffs.” and you saw it,” Holt said.

Despite these early defeats, the Gin Kings fought their way to the top of Group B and eventually advanced through the competition to secure another date with TNT for the Governors’ Cup.

From underdog to finalist, Holt fit into coach Tim Cone’s system and led the franchise to another multi-title finals appearance.

“It’s just a testament to that culture. That’s why I fit in so well. Whether we win or lose, we all work hard. We just wanted to get to the final and now that we’re finally in this position, it’s time to finish the job.”