People often refer to comfort as the enemy of progress, but in sports, comfort can be proof that a player is settling into his new team quite well. 

It hasn’t even been a year since Stephen Holt entered the PBA and yet he’s already had quite the journey. Holt found himself moving from the Terrafirma Dyip, team that drafted him, to the league’s most popular franchise in the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings. The trade was certainly controversial as he was moving from a perennial cellar dweller to a team that has won at least one PBA conference championship since 2015. Nevertheless, the move went through with a collective groan from everyone outside of the Gin Kings organization. 

For Holt, though, it was also a shift to a different role, one that didn’t require heavy lifting but nonetheless put some weight on his shoulders. Ginebra’s fan base is always eager for a win (and who, apart from the Dyip doesn’t?) and the team itself is also undergoing the changing of the guard. Stars like Japeth Aguilar and LA Tenorio are getting older. Maverick Ahanmisi and rookie RJ Abarrientos are settling in as Scottie Thompson continues to work his way back from a back injury. Meanwhile, Jamie Malonzo and Jeremiah Gray are out with leg injuries. 

All things considered, the Gin Kings have been patient as Holt has found his groove, but at the same time, they need him more than ever. Against the NLEX Road Warriors, Ginebra got the best of the Filipino-American thus far. 

Smart may be the apt word to describe Holt’s game given his experience with professional leagues abroad. The former Saint Mary Gael finished with game-highs of 26 points and 11 rebounds while dishing out six assists in a 119-91 Gin Kings victory over the Road Warriors, but it wasn’t obvious until you saw the box score. He didn’t attempt a 4-pointer and instead focused on doing his damage inside before extending his range and making the NLEX defense pay. 

Such was the case when Ginebra took on the Phoenix Fuel Masters. Holt knocked down three 3-pointers and one 4-pointer in the Gin Kings’ 110-101 win over the Fuel Masters. In the victory, Holt knew how to pick his spots, especially with Japeth Aguilar (a team-high 31 points) and Justin Brownlee (23 points on five 3-pointers) pretty much being too tough for Phoenix to contain. 

Ginebra head coach Tim Cone definitely appreciated Holt’s aversion to flash and the decision to actively get his teammates involved. Moreover, the versatility Holt offers makes it easier to plug him in different spots depending on circumstance and personnel. Cone is certainly glad that Holt is getting comfortable as they still have five games left in the preliminary round of the 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup. That should also allow the rest of the team to get their rhythm back and hopefully peak at the right time. 

Stephen Holt will turn 33 on December 6, but his style of play shouldn’t diminish. His maturity has shone both with the Terrafirma Dyip and now the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, who are trying to navigate through an uneven start to their 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup campaign. Thankfully, they have an ace in Holt, who’s just getting started.