THE year’s most painful basketball defeat was absorbed by Converge only last Sunday (Dec. 28, 2025).
The Converge FiberXers were literally a breath away from achieving a milestone when it came all crashing down in one flick of a wrist.
The culprit?
Stephen Holt halting Converge’s first-ever march to the semifinals in franchise history, banging home the most improbable shot in the season-ending PBA Philippine Cup.
With time expiring, Holt had John delos Santos flying out of the way with a shoulder fake.
Holt would next make one lightning-quick step to his left, giving him a clear look at the rim just slightly from the right quarter court.
With an assassin’s resolve to execute at all costs, Holt heaved the three, the shot hitting nothing but net at the buzzer, giving Barangay Ginebra a pulsating 99-98 overtime victory in their winner-take-all decider as Converge blew a twice-to-beat bonus.
That shoved the Ginebra Gin Kings to the semifinals opposite sister-team San Miguel Beer in a blockbuster best-of-seven affair.
The loss easily pinned on Converge the label as the league’s heartbreak team after the Fiberxers blew a won-game not only once but twice.
First, Converge was up, 86-83, with mere ticks remaining in regulation.
But, Holy Smokes, FiberXer Alex Stockton fouled Jeremiah Gray while Gray was in a desperate act of shooting a three.
Gray, cool as a Siamese cat, sank all three charities for an 86-all tie to force overtime.
Free throws would be the Converge bane in the five-minute extension.
Justin Arana missed two from a Japeth Aguilar foul with 1:52 left, failing to fatten a 91-89 Converge margin.
Although Juan Gomez de Liaño would next unload six straight points for a 97-93 Converge lead, Troy Rosario’s own triple moved Ginebra to within 96-97 at the 20.3-second mark.
The stripe would prove crucial as the 6-foot-9 Justin Baltazar split his charities next, giving Converge a 98-96 lead by sinking the second free throw.
That’s when coach Tim Cone sued for time to devise Ginebra’s one last gasp with 8.5 ticks left.
After Holt’s winning trey sent the predominantly pro Ginebra crowd rockin’ ‘n’ rollin’ at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Holt said: “I was not supposed to make the shot.”
“First option was RJ (Abarrientos),” said Holt. “We planned to give him a good look, didn’t work out. Second option was for me to come off a pick-and-roll. I just wanted to execute whatever the game presented to me.”
“We are a bit down, especially it came towards the New Year,” said Liaño, who had 25 points, including 18 in the fourth and overtime periods.
“We fought a champion team, a great team, a more experienced team,” said Converge coach Delta Pineda. “It’s just not for us.”
Stockton said he tried his best to make a defensive stop by challenging the three of Gray.
“I wanted to make sure that he didn’t have a great look,” said Stockton. “But it was just unfortunate that his follow through went into my hand.”
Was it destiny?
Holt was 1 of 7 before burying his game-winner.
It was the diminutive Abarrientos, well covered by the towering Baltazar, who fed Holt for Ginebra’s winning shot.
“That’s probably one of the biggest shots in my career,” said Holt, who had nine points, eight rebounds and four assists.
His biggest, I must say.