Hodge, Caram, Banchero, Torres reflect on first PBA title

It took them almost a decade or more, but Cliff Hodge, Anjo Caram, Chris Banchero, and Norbert Torres are now PBA champions.

On June 16, the four of them, along with the rest of the Meralco Bolts, took down powerhouse San Miguel in Game 6 of the PBA Philippine Cup finals to win their first ever PBA title.

"I was trying to win this. Now that it's come, we have to try and win another one I guess?" Hodge said after Game 6.

Hodge was drafted by the Bolts in 2012 and saw Meralco appear in four finals series before winning its first title.

"I just try to give it all for my team. My body is everything I have to give for my team so I will do it until I'm done."

Hodge said it took a lot of trust with the Bolts to reach this point.

"There's always doubt until you'd actually win one. It's a lot of trust, a lot of thinking about the next possession, next play, and just hoping that no matter how much, all the hard work you put in will be commensurated," he added.

For Caram, who was drafted in 2013, the title is his way of giving back to the franchise.

"Very special talaga.Tumatanda na rin tayo so yung wish ko talaga is mag-champion sa Meralco," said the 33-year old guard.

"They drafted me in 2013, parang it's a way to give back to them kasi they've been very good to us."

Banchero, on the other hand, was drafted in 2014 by the Alaska Aces then. He joined the Bolts in 2022 and it took him only two years with the franchise to win the title.

Apparently, the team told him that he was the last piece missing from the Bolts.

 "Them bringing me over here, first thing they said to me was we brought you over here to win a championship, we think you're the last piece that we need. We got it done," Banchero said.

For him, a PBA title was a 'long time coming.'

"Can't even put it into words. Long time coming. To climb that mountain, get knocked down so many times, climb that mountain again. I persevered and finally broke through, there's not many words you can say," Banchero added.

Journeyman Norbert Torres got his taste of a PBA title with Meralco as well.

After suiting up for four teams in the past nine years, Torres eventually found his way to the crown.

"Such a blessing to finally get over that hump, help the team any way that I could. It's just hard work that I put in throughout the years and I feel blessed to have this one," Torres, who was shipped to the Bolts in 2023, told GMA News Online.

For him, one of his roles to the team is helping Brandon Bates also in the series.

"I tried to guide him as much as I can because he is still new to the league," said Torres about his fellow De La Salle University product.

"Trying to help him on and off the court, whatever way I can to help move forward or pick him up on his career, that's work on my part, too."

Twelve players from Meralco's lineup are first time champs. Allein Maliksi, Raymond Almazan, and Kyle Pascual have previously won PBA titles.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News