Stephen Holt and Kier John ‘Bong’ Quinto get a share of the limelight in the PBA Press Corps Awards Night for the first time as they will be bestowed with separate honors during the 30th edition of the event next week at the Novotel Manila Araneta City.
The Barangay Ginebra sophomore leads members of the All-Rookie selection, while the Meralco guard is going to be honored with the Mr. Quality Minutes by the men and women who regularly cover the PBA beat under the leadership of its president Vladi Eduarte of the Abante Group of Publishing.
Presented by Cignal TV, the event is set Sept. 24 starting at 7:30 p.m.
Holt, 32, and the unanimous winner of the Rookie of the Year Award in Season 48, is joined in the All-Rookie Team by Cade Flores of Northport, Adrian Nocum of Rain or Shine, Phoenix’s Ken Tuffin, and Terrafirma’s Kemark Carino.
The 6-foot-4 Fil-Am, a product of St. Mary’s College in California, was the no. 1 overall pick of Terrafirma last season who guided the team to its first playoffs appearance in the last eight years during the Philippine Cup.
His impressive season saw him contend for the Most Valuable Player plum, and led to his inclusion as part of the season’s 2nd Mythical Team.
Meanwhile, Quinto, 29, wins his first Mr. Quality Minutes award, which is the PBAPC’s version of the Sixth Man of the Year.
The point guard out of Letran College edged out last year’s winner Jericho Cruz of San Miguel Beer for the honor, whose first ever recipient was Barangay Ginebra deputy coach Olsen Racela in 1993.
Quinto averaged 10.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists while playing an average of 26 minutes in 39 games for the team last year.
A second round pick of Meralco in the 2018 draft, he played a key role in helping the Bolts win their first ever championship in PBA franchise history when they stunned heavily-favored San Miguel in six games of the season-ending Philippine Cup.
