Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Jared Dillinger won’t deny that he wanted Meralco to gain retribution against Ginebra after their classic encounter in the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.
“I want that so bad since we played them in the Finals before. I was ready to whoop their ass if I had the chance,” he said.
In a tweet, Dillinger added, “I can’t stand those guys,” which got some good-natured trash-talk reponse from Gin Kings like Sol Mercado and Greg Slaughter.
Dillinger sat out the championship series due to a hamstring injury and was helpless as Justin Brownlee sank the booming game-winning three in Game 6 to end the Gin Kings’ eight-year title drought.
That memory still stings for the 33-year-old forward, who craved to battle the crowd darlings anew.
Unfortunately, TNT booted Meralco in Game 3 on Friday, 104-96 in overtime to advance to the 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
Dillinger believes had the Bolts progressed to the Final Four, they can pose a bigger threat to the Gin Kings compared to the KaTropa.
“That’s what we felt too. Nothing to take against Ginebra, but we felt we really had a good match-up scheme with them,” he said. “But against (TNT), it was tougher for us because they have (Joshua) Smith and it kind of cancelled out Alex (Stepheson).”
With no chance for revenge, at least for this conference, Dillinger made it clear what team he will be rooting for.
“Hats off to TNT for sticking it out. I want them to beat Ginebra,” he said as Ranidel de Ocampo was saying goodbye to him.
“Kick their butts,” he told the veteran TNT forward.