CHOT Reyes cited two Ginebra players who made a big difference in the Kings’ 106-92 win over TNT in Sunday night’s Game 4 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.
The Tropang Giga coach said Stephen Holt and Maverick Ahanmisi were a huge challenge for the team given the way they played before a banner crowd of 16,783 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
READ Hot-shooting Ginebra rips TNT in Game 4, ties PBA Finals at 2-2
Both Ahanmisi and Holt finished with 18 points apiece and played crucial roles in the endgame as the Kings levelled the best-of-seven title series at 2-2 with their second straight win.
“They’re playing great. We know (Justin) Brownlee, Scottie (Thompson), and Japeth (Aguilar). Those are given. But the games of those two guys, they are really giving us a lot of problems,” said Reyes on his way out of the Big Dome.
Ahanmisi scored half of his total output in the final quarter, while Holt had six during that same stretch as the two hit two dagger treys that doused cold water on the Tropang Giga’s comeback entering the homestretch.
The two Fil-Am guards ended up combining for six of the nine three-pointers made by the Kings.
Reyes was also impressed with the way Holt, last season’s Rookie of the Year, played on both ends of the floor as he likewise took on the daunting task of trying to slow down Best Import of the Conference Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
“Holt, man, he’s defending Rondae the whole game and he’s still scoring,” said Reyes of last year’s No. 1 overall rookie draft pick.
Reyes said the Tropang Giga need a quick fix on how to counter Holt and Ahanmisi to hold down a surging Ginebra side which has now taken over the momentum of the series.
“We have to find a solution to that (Holt and Ahanmisi). Unbelievable. My hats off to Mav and Stephen for making it very difficult for us,” said the champion mentor. “They definitely have the momentum and we have to find a way to stop it.”
TNT has two days to adjust as Game 5 won’t be played until Wednesday also at the Big Dome.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
