PBA: Stephen Holt on sealing Ginebra's 'miraculous' escape: 'That's true NSD spirit'

Stephen Holt's buzzer-beating three-pointer secured a dramatic 99-98 overtime victory for Barangay Ginebra over Converge, propelling them into the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals.

Despite his game-winning shot, Holt struggled for most of the contest, shooting 1-of-7 from three-point range before the final play. His difficulties included committing a crucial foul on Juan Gomez de Liaño late in the fourth quarter, which allowed Converge to take an 84-83 lead. Head coach Tim Cone had initially designed the final play for RJ Abarrientos.

Holt redeemed himself in overtime, scoring a three-point play to tie the game and delivering a key assist to Troy Rosario to pull within one point. He then hit the game-winning three-pointer off an Abarrientos setup. Holt acknowledged his earlier struggles but called the clutch shot one of the biggest of his career, crediting his teammates' continued confidence.

The victory was hard-fought, as Ginebra overcame significant adversity. Key players Christian David left with a shoulder injury, while veterans Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar fouled out, leaving the team with a thin lineup against a determined Converge squad. Coach Cone described the win as miraculous, praising Converge's effort and his team's resilience in overcoming these challenges.

Holt believes this win signifies that Ginebra is finding its form after a slow start to the conference, which had resulted in a tough quarterfinal matchup against a twice-to-beat Converge team.