Stephen Holt may find himself guarding another Best Player of the Conference candidate when the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals gets rolling.
Last season’s Rookie of the Year could be assigned to guard Calvin Oftana, since it seems Holt usually has the task of defending the opponent’s best player — evidenced by their recent semifinal series against the top-seeded NorthPort.
“We’re still working on our game plan and match-ups and whatnot, but I’m looking forward to competing against all their guards over at TNT,” he said during the pre-Finals presser at Kamay Kainan in Quezon City Wednesday.
Holt went up against Arvin Tolentino, and there should be no denying that he got the job done extremely well.
The Batang Pier star was one of the best players of the midseason tilt but was reduced to a mortal in the semis. He only averaged 12.8 points, including two single-digit performances as his numbers dropped significantly.
That, after posting norms of 23.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks to help his side clinch the no.1 seed in the eliminations.
Soon, it could be Oftana whom Holt will try to contain, especially after the Gilas standout played a major role in the Tropang Giga’s ouster of Rain or Shine.
He averaged 16.0 points and 5.4 rebounds in the semis, including a 12-point, 12-rebound outing in Game 5 that saw him strike the dagger to finish the series.
So if ever he gets the assignment, Holt is more than embracing the challenge. He’s also hungry to win his first PBA crown after being denied by TNT in the Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals just last November.
“I’ve definitely grown to my role with this group. Obviously, we take pride in our defense and I was able to show my skills on that end. It’s gonna be a great series,” he said.
#WATCH: Stephen Holt breaks down his next challenge—matching up against #PBA2025 BPC candidate Calvin Oftana after battling Arvin Tolentino in the semis 🏀
📹 @justinebacnis/ Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/Dd36dtVsuA
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 10, 2025
