FATE works in mysterious ways.
Jared Dillinger is amazed that in his first ever finals stint for Barangay Ginebra, he faces the prospect of meeting teams he previously went to wars with.
While the veteran guard has yet to really make an impact for the Kings this season, going up against either his former ballclubs in TnT Katropa or Meralco Bolts for the championship of the PBA Governors Cup is one intriguing subplot that adds flare and drama to the final title series of the league for the season.
The Katropa and Bolts duke it out for the remaining finals berth on Monday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo for the right to meet the Kings in the best-of-seven finals that starts on January 8 yet.
Looking at what lies ahead just left Dillinger dumbfounded.
“It’s really funny how life works,” said the 35-year-old Dillinger, who was acquired by Ginebra from the free agent market middle of the season following some sort of a miscommunication with Meralco management.
“It’s going to be a lot of emotions, but it’s still just a game, it’s still a business,” he stressed.
The Rapid City, South Dakota native was the No. 2 overall pick of TnT in the 2008 draft, winning a total of five championships as chief back-up to legendary guard Jimmy Alapag.
By June of 2013, he found himself on the move and landed at sister team Meralco, where he would play a vital cog in the franchise’s two finals appearances in the 2016 and 2017 Governors Cup, both of which ended up in losses to Ginebra.
And more than a decade of being part of the Manny V. Pangilinan group naturally had Dillinger developing friendship and camaraderie with his former teammates.
“I have a lot of brothers and friends over there on that side,” he admitted. “But whether its TnT or Meralco, when the ball goes up in the air, I would look at those guys like my enemies.”
“It’s going to be all business once the finals starts.”
But the ever vocal Fil-Am guard is not about to let himself engage in a word war with his former comrades.
Going to his first ever title series with the San Miguel group, Dillinger wants to get himself in a better shape as he continues to recover from a right quad injury that sidelined him for most of the season.
“I wasn’t really focused on anything other than just trying to get healthy,” he said.
He’s grateful for the opportunity though of making it back to the finals right in his first year with the Kings, a team Dillinger admitted he once hated.
“I can’t be more excited to be with Ginebra and to be with the San Miguel Corp. They gave me the opportunity, they gave me the chance, and I want to repay that back with blood, sweat, and tears when I’m on the court playing.
“It’s a blessing. I’m very grateful. I’m going to work my butt off and try to play catch-up in terms of getting my body right and get in rhythm and timing,” he said. “Everyone is looking great out there, and I’m going to do what I can.”
Dillinger last won a PBA title during the 2013 Philippine Cup while still with TnT.
Now he tries to win another one at the expense of his former team.
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