Cone Lauds Holt’s Defense as Ginebra Ties Governors’ Cup Finals

Photo source: PBA Images

Ginebra head coach Tim Cone didn’t hold back in praising Stephen Holt after their pivotal Game 4 victory over TNT which tied the Governors’ Cup Finals at 2-2.

Cone’s appreciation centered on Holt’s admirable defensive effort against TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who won the Best Import of the Conference award. Despite Hollis-Jefferson’s notable performance, Holt’s resilience and focus on defense were instrumental in slowing down TNT’s offensive power.

“And I think the biggest key tonight was, and it has been the last two games is, I mean, I don’t want to motivate him anymore, but I think it’s this guy right next to me and the defense he’s been able to play over the last two games,” Cone said, referring to Holt. “And as amazing as Rondae is, Stephen’s doing an amazing job as well. So this has been one of the huge keys of why we’re back in this series.”

In Game 4, Hollis-Jefferson still managed to put up 28 points on 11-of-21 shooting, along with 9 rebounds and 4 assists in 47 grueling minutes. Holt’s own performance wasn’t just limited to defense; he also contributed 18 points, 3 rebounds, and an impressive 5 steals, marking his best showing in this series.

Holt admitted that taking on the challenge of guarding Hollis-Jefferson was as physically and mentally demanding as it was rewarding.

“I mean, that’s just been the biggest challenge for me in this series,” Holt shared. “Obviously, it takes a lot of energy on the defensive end, mentally and physically, just to lock in on that matchup individually, one-on-one defense, but also within the team scheme.”

Cone’s strategy for Holt to focus on defense came with a trade-off on the offensive end. Holt acknowledged that the extra energy spent guarding Hollis-Jefferson had initially limited his own scoring opportunities. After passing up open shots in the first few games, however, Holt was determined to turn things around in Game 4.

“And so that’s kind of taken away a little bit of my aggressiveness offensively. The first three games I passed some open shots that I know I needed to shoot and today I didn’t want to pass up any of those shots,” Holt explained. “My teammates found me when they needed to and, you know, I did my job and was able to be more aggressive and put more points like you said in this game.”

That increased aggressiveness paid off. Holt’s balanced approach on both ends of the court not only helped neutralize Hollis-Jefferson but also gave Ginebra the scoring support they needed behind Justin Brownlee’s dominant 34-point outing, which included 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

Beyond the statistics, Holt’s leadership shone as he rallied his team, encouraging them to stay resilient in the face of tough competition. Holt’s mental toughness proved crucial in helping Ginebra stay the course.

“I know at the end of the day I just gotta continue to show leadership, continue to lead my guys on the defensive end,” Holt said. “Don’t get discouraged when Rondae hits a tough shot. Obviously he started the game hot. In some threes, we can never put our heads down at all.”

Reflecting on the adjustments that led to Ginebra’s back-to-back wins in Games 3 and 4, Holt acknowledged the team’s renewed sense of focus and grit.

“We made that adjustment, [in] game three, for me to try and just get loose and try and make it difficult for Rondae. I know I’m called an import stopper, but we’re not really stopping him. We’re just trying to make it difficult,” Holt said. “And so we’ve done a great job these last two games and so we just gotta do it for two more.”

With the Finals now tied, Ginebra heads into Game 5 with renewed energy and a blueprint for how to manage TNT’s high-powered offense. If Holt continues to lock in defensively while remaining a threat on offense, Ginebra’s chances at securing the Governors’ Cup Championship look promising.