Ginebra rookies deliver

MANILA, Philippines — The rookies shone as Ginebra pulled off a 91-87 escape act against the P.League+ champion New Taipei Kings in the Macau WUS International Basketball Club Challenge late Thursday night in Macau.

Newcomers RJ Abarrientos and Paul Garcia along with sophomore star Stephen Holt teamed up in the clutch while Japeth Aguilar topscored with 23 points in the Gin Kings’ narrow win.

Holt, last season’s Rookie of the Year, drained the go-ahead bucket before hitting Abarrientos, the third overall pick in the PBA Rookie Draft, for a timely triple in the last two minutes that pushed Ginebra to an 88-84 separation.