Caram provides spark to revive Bolts’ playoff bid

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BOCAUE — “Never say die” has always been Ginebra’s mantra.

But on Sunday, it seemed like the tables were turned when Meralco got one over its rivals.

Fighting for survival in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup, the Bolts clawed their way back from a 69-77 deficit in the fourth period to pull off a thrilling 84-82 victory to stay alive in the playoff race.

“We want to be known as a team that doesn’t give up even if we’re undermanned,” said Meralco playmaker Anjo Caram, who was one of the team’s unsung heroes.

Missing key guys like Ranidel de Ocampo, Jared Dillinger, and now, Cliff Hodge due to an MCL sprain, the diminutive guard proved to be the spark Meralco needed, firing a career-high 16 points to go with three rebounds.

“We want to show it to the fans, to the company that we will fight until the end. We won’t give up and that’s how we honor the game which is to give our best every time,” he said.

Caram admitted that his unlikely outburst made the victory sweeter as the Bolts got one over the Gin Kings, their tormentor the past two Governors’ Cup Finals.

“It feels great that we won. First, because we want to make it to the quarters and coach told us that we had to win our remaining games and treat them as championship games, and second, going to this venue where we had lots of bad memories, it was a motivation for us to win over Ginebra,” he said.

Despite coming out on top, Caram knows that there’s no time to revel as Meralco still sits outside the playoff bracket currently tied for ninth with TNT and Blackwater at 4-6.

With one game left in its elimination round schedule, Caram and the rest of the Bolts have no choice but to go all-out as they try to make one last run to the quarterfinals on Saturday against Magnolia.

“We have no other choice but to work for it. It ain’t over ’til it’s over. So we’ll treat that game as a championship game because if we lose, there’s no more tomorrow for us,” he said.