Stephen Holt highlighted his impressive performance with a crucial triple down the stretch as Ginebra made it an even battle with TNT in Game 4.
Stephen Holt was feeling under the weather in the first two games of the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals.
Holt did not look sick at all on Sunday, Nov. 3, as Ginebra hacked out a 106-92 win over TNT to tie the best-of-seven series at two games apiece at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
The Filipino-American fired 18 points, including a booming triple with 1:28 left to play that buried the Tropang Giga for good, 104-92.
[WATCH: Stephen Holt stars in Ginebra's Game 4 equalizer vs TNT]
He also had three rebounds, two assists and five steals for the Gin Kings, who were pretty much in control the entire way.
“He powered through and continued to play through sickness,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone of last season's Rookie of the Year.
Before Holt dropped 13 of his total output in the second half, resident import Justin Brownlee set the tone for Ginebra early on.
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After losing the Best Import plum to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the naturalized Filipino went off and scored 15 in the opening period.
Brownlee ended up with 34 points, six rebounds, four assists and a steal, while Maverick Ahanmisi churned out 18 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Japeth Aguilar added 18 points, six rebounds and two assists.
“Justin is usually a very good starter, especially in big games. He knows how important he is to set the tempo and to give confidence to his teammates," said Cone of Brownlee.
Meanwhile, Hollis-Jefferson paced the Tropang Giga with 28 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Calvin Oftana heated up early on, firing 20 points in the first two quarters. But he had limited touches in the second half and finished with 26 that went with six rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block.
Rey Nambatac had 15 points, five rebounds, and two dimes.
The Scores:
GINEBRA 106 – Brownlee 34, Ahanmisi 18, J.Aguilar 18, Holt 18, Thompson 12, Abarrientos 5, Devance 1, Tenorio 0, Cu 0, Pinto 0.
TNT 92 – Hollis-Jefferson 28, Oftana 26, Nambatac 15, Castro 9, Pogoy 9, Erram 3Aurin 2, Heruela 0, Khobuntin 0, Williams 0.
Quarterscores: 30-25, 54-42, 85-77, 106-92