Photo from Stephen Holt’s Instagram
One of the last things coach Johnedel Cardel described in confirming the agreement reached between Terrafirma and Stephen Holt seemed to indicate the top overall pick’s readiness to showcase his skills in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
“Ready to play,” Cardel said after Holt came to terms with Dyip management on a two-year deal that was reached more than two weeks since the PBA Rookie Draft.
And with that situation ironed out, Terrafirma can only hope that Holt can live up to the expectations surrounding someone with the potential to be a star.Cardel said the 31-year-old Holt is due to arrive “anytime this week” from the United States to begin the process of getting familiar with a Terrafirma side that has a history of having promising talents only for them to be sent away to some of the league’s powerhouse teams.
For at least the Commissioner’s Cup, the import-flavored conference that kicks off the new season on Nov. 5, Holt will be eyed to help Terrafirma improve on a dismal 2022-23 campaign and provide additional support to the team’s main weapon, Juami Tiongson.
A Holt-Tiongson backcourt is something that could infuse new life to the Dyip in the coming conference, aside from being reinforced by 32-year-old Belgian Thomas de Thaey.
De Thaey is listed at 6-foot-8, an inch below the maximum height limit, and has experience playing for his nation’s domestic league and in Spain, Uruguay and France.
Taylor Miller, Terrafirma’s other first round pick at No. 12, was among the first players signed by the team when he gave his nod on a two-year contract.
Second rounder Kemark Carino, who had a one-year stint in the Japan B.League’s second division in 2022, and fourth round selection Tommy Olivario were also signed to rookie deals.
Most players taken in the first round have inked rookie deals, namely Rain or Shine’s Luis Villegas and Keith Datu, NorthPort’s Zav Lucero and Cade Flores, Phoenix’s Ken Tuffin and Converge’s Schonny Winston and BJ Andrade.