Holt arrives at Terrafirma training camp

EXCITEMENT filled the Terrafirma camp after PBA top overall rookie pick Stephen Holt finally showed up in the Dyip’s practice on Thursday at the Winter Pine gym in Quezon City.

Stephen Holt FIBA PHOTO 

The 31-year-old Holt arrived in Manila late Wednesday and had a walk through of the team’s plays by head coach John Cardel on Thursday morning.

“Finally, we get to see our number one pick in the draft,” said Cardel, chatting shortly with The Manila Times.

“He only had two hours of sleep, still had jetlag so I just told him to observe practice while I explained to him the team’s plays.”

Cardel said he spent some time talking with the 6-foot-4 Filipino-American, who built his pro career playing in Australia, Italy, Spain, Poland, Kazakhstan and Romania.

“He told me that the PBA is known all over the globe and he’s excited to play,” said Cardel, who boosted his team’s roster by also selecting rookies Kemark Carino, Taylor Miller and Tommy Olivario from the draft.

Holt, accompanied by his Filipino agent Marvin Espiritu, the co-founder of the EMBM Sports management, formalized his entry in the PBA by signing a two-year deal with the Dyip in the presence of team manager Ronald Tubid.