Abarrientos, Holt, Go mark Ginebra debut in Macau exhibition
BARANGAY Ginebra is set to test the mettle of reigning P.League+ champion New Taipei Kings in an exhibition match slated in Macau on Wednesday.
Coach Tim Cone confirmed the battle of the Kings at the Tap Seac Multi-Sport Pavilion and dubbed ‘Macau International Basketball Challenge.’
The game serves as the first for new acquisitions Stephen Holt and Isaac Go since being acquired in a major off-season trade from Terrafirma for the veteran duo of Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle.
It will also be the first outing in a Ginebra uniform for highly-touted No. 3 draf pick RJ Abarrientos after also being part of the trade with the Dyip in exchange for the no. 10 overall pick.
The Kings used the pick to get the wily guard out of Far Eastern University and nephew of PBA great Johnny Abarrientos.
“Yes the three of them will play,” bared Cone to SPIN.ph.
The Ginebra mentor added Abarrientos has already joined the team practice since arriving from Taipei after playing for Strong Group Athletics which won the 2024 Jones Cup last week.
Unfortunately, the Kings will play their P.League+ counterpart with a depleted roster.
Cone said Scottie Thompson, Jeremiah Gray, Jamie Malonzo, and import Justin Brownlee will miss out on the exhibition.
“Scottie, Miah, and Jamie remain injured,” he said. “Justin is still in Indonesia.”
The 36-year-old Brownlee is currently playing in the Indonesia Basketball League (IBL) finals where his team Pelita Jaya is battling Satria Muda.
A teammate of Brownlee at Pelita Jaya is former PBA import KJ McDaniels.
The New Taipei Kings featured former NBA player Jeremy Lin and his brother Joseph, imports Chris Johnson and Austin Daye, naturalized player Quincy Davis, and Chinese Taipei national player Yang Chin-min.
Cone didn’t mention though, if the P.League+ side will have Jeremy Lin and if the two imports will see action.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
