Tim Cone praises Stephen Holt as Barangay Ginebra clinches final twice-to-beat advantage in the Philippine Cup

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) powerhouse Barangay Ginebra San Miguel secured the last twice-to-beat advantage spot heading into the quarterfinals by cruising past the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 98–80, in their final elimination game on Sunday, June 15, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Central to their win was the performance of star guard Stephen Holt, who led from the front with 27 points on 6-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc, along with 12 rebounds and four assists. He received strong support from veteran Japeth Aguilar, who recorded a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Jamie Malonzo contributed 15 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. RJ Abarrientos (11 points, four assists, three steals), Scottie Thompson (eight points, nine rebounds, five assists), and Troy Rosario (eight points, eight rebounds) also played key roles in what was a collective team effort.

Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone was elated to secure the final twice-to-beat advantage spot and paid tribute to Holt for his impact on both ends of the court.

Stephen Holt is the ArenaPlus BPG.#PBAAngatAngLaban pic.twitter.com/hdCaG8qXsE

— PBA (@pbaconnect) June 15, 2025

“This is Stephen at practice. If you guys came to our practice and watched Stephen, this is Stephen all the time. The effort he brings to both sides of the ball is really phenomenal, and he truly leads by example. Tonight, he had a really good shooting night and led us in that department, but usually it’s the other things he leads us in — the defense, the ball movement, getting to the boards, and getting back on defense. He was crucial for us tonight,” Cone said in the post-game press conference.

Barangay Ginebra will face long-time rivals the Converge FiberXers in the quarterfinals and enter the matchup on a high, having won six of their last seven games — including their final three.

“It was the last game of the eliminations, so we just wanted to finish on the right note and continue this momentum we’ve built. This is our third try at winning a championship, so we understand the task at hand — every detail matters now,” Holt added.

Runners-up in the first two conferences this season, Barangay Ginebra will now aim to add another title to their trophy cabinet, beginning with the quarterfinal clash against Converge on Friday, June 20, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

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