BARANGAY Ginebra made its new acquisitions go through some kind of initiation in Macau no less, and from the looks of it, all of them passed the test with flying colors.
Sought-after rookie RJ Abarrientos and last year's no. 1 overall pick Stephen Holts carried the Kings to a 91-87 win past P.League+ reigning champion New Taipei Kings in their exhibition match Wednesday night at the WUS International Basketball Club Challenge.
A Holt layup gave the Kings the lead for good, 85-84, before Abarrientos connected on a three-pointer entering the final two minutes to further stretched Ginebra's lead on the way to the win.
It was the first time the Kings played Abarrientos, Holt, and their other pre-season acquisitions in a competitive game as the team primes up for the coming Season 49 of the PBA.
Also formally suiting up for Ginebra were Isaac Go, Ben Adamos, and third round pick Paul Garcia, who easily caught the eyes of the modest crowd at the venue.
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After Taipei threatened at 88-87, the no. 34 pick overall in the last draft converted on a clutch basket to give Ginebra some breathing room before Holt split his charities for the final count.
Japeth Aguilar led the Kings with 23 points, while Abarrientos, picked by the team at no. 3 overall this season, added 20.
Holt, acquired from Terrafirma along with Go for the duo of Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle, had 14 points in the first half and finished with 19, even as Garcia, who won a championship with Ateneo, finished with seven points.
Ginebra was without injured players Scottie Thompson, Jeremiah Gray, and Jamie Malonzo, although both Gray and Thompson made the trip.
Import Justin Brownlee was also not around as he's still in Indonesia where he's playing in the IBL (Indonesia Basketball League) finals for Pelita Jaya opposite Satria Muda.
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New Taipei also played minus brothers Joseph and Jeremy Lin and naturalized player Quincy Davis, but the team paraded import Kiwi Gardner.(RG)
