Dillinger looking for redemption

Jared Dillinger sat on the baseline near the Meralco Bolts bench, looking dejected as he watched the final minutes of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s resounding victory in Game 1 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals in Lucena City.

Dillinger had waited almost a year to get this moment, looking to make an immediate impact in Meralco’s bid to avenge last season’s Governors’ Cup title loss to Ginebra where he failed to see action due to a torn hamstring.

But the nine-year veteran endured an inauspicious start in the finals rematch, going 2-of-11 from the field for just six points, a far cry from his heroic duties in the Bolts’ victories over the Blackwater Elite and Star Hotshots in the playoffs.

Manila-based scribes failed to get a chance to hear Dillinger’s sentiments. Interestingly, the forward kept mum on Twitter, the same platform where shared his disdain toward Meralco’s finals foe.

Joe Devance, who had been Dillinger's social media adversary for months, had a better showing with nine points and five rebounds. But then, almost every Ginebra player inserted had a hand in the 102-87 rout.

His Twitter notifications were flooded with jabs from Ginebra fans moments after the game. Dillinger is probably taking all those in as he plots his chance at redemption in tonight’s Game 2 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. —JONAS TERRADO