Tremont Waters delivered a remarkable performance in Puerto Rico’s significant victory over the Dominican Republic, but it was former San Miguel import John Holland who made the most crucial shot on Friday night.
With the game tied at 95-all, Andres Feliz executed a fantastic pass to Victor Liz, who attempted to give Los Quisqueyanos the lead. However, George Conditt provided staunch defense and met Liz at the rim for a crucial block.
Liz went down hard and clutched his left knee, leaving Los Magnificos in a four-on-five situation on the other end of the court.
Waters, who had already scored 35 points at that time, passed the ball to the trailing Holland, who was left wide open at the top of the key.
Antonio Pena attempted to cover the 6-foot-5 small forward, but it was too late as Holland released the three-point shot that put Puerto Rico ahead, 98-95, with 31.1 seconds remaining in the game, after trailing by as much as 16 points.
“He made the right decision. I’m happy he did it, I’m happy he trusted me,” said the 34-year-old journeyman, who has had stints in Israel, Turkey, Russia, and Serbia.
“Like I said, that’s the growth of our team. We trust each other and play together. It’s a beautiful thing to watch,” he added.
Holland finished the game with six points, two rebounds, two assists, and a steal in 20 minutes and 45 seconds of action as Los Magnificos secured a 102-97 win over Los Quisqueyanos in the second round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
The Boston University product cherished the opportunity to play once again in Manila, having spent some time with the Beermen during the 2019 PBA Governor’s Cup. He revealed that he met with some of his former teammates.
“It’s great to be back. I spent a short time here. It’s great to be back. The people are so welcoming; they’ve always been some of the friendliest and most welcoming people,” said Holland, who averaged 18.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in three games for the Beermen.
“Yeah, Alex (Cabagnot) and I’ve seen June Mar (Fajardo) to eat and stuff. It’s been nice. I’ve been around for so long; I feel like I have teammates on every team in the world. It’s been nice to catch up with some guys,” he added.
Holland had joined San Miguel as a replacement import in their bid for a grand slam. Unfortunately, he couldn’t help the franchise achieve that elusive feat and was eliminated by Ginebra in the quarterfinals.
When asked about a possible return to the PBA, he responded, “We will see. Who knows. But I appreciate the hospitality. Everything I’ve experienced in Manila, what we’re experiencing now. It’s been a blessing, and I’m just happy and grateful to be here.”
