JARED Dilligner felt his hit on Roi Sumang late in their game on Tuesday night didn’t merit a flagrant foul 1 violation, but was quick to apologize after committing the mental error that factored in Meralco’s 92-91 loss to Blackwater that dragged their PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinal series to a decider.
With the Bolts up by three, 89-86, the Bolts veteran wingman chased Allein Maliksi on defense and bumped into Sumang who gave his teammate a screen, hitting the screener on the face and getting called for a flagrant foul with a minute and eight seconds left.
The violation gave the Elite two charities, which Sumang converted, and an extra possession, leading into Maliksi’s heroics down the stretch.
“Just breaks of the game,” Dillinger said after the game. “You can’t rely on the referees. I didn’t think it was enough to warrant a flagrant 1, but that’s why they get paid; they’re just trying to do their job the best they can."
“Of course I’m frustrated about it,” he added. “We made a lot of mental mistakes, but that’s on me.”
Dillinger, who contributed 12 points, three boards, three assists, and one block in almost 29 minutes, admitted his violation factored in the result.
“Absolutely…We gave them a chance to still get back in the game,” the Filipino-American small forward said. “We still had our chances to win, but too many mental mistakes on our defense. That was really the breaks of the game for our side.
“Hats off to Blackwater for playing a hell of game,” he added. “Those guys didn’t stop and on our side, I think we need to refocus and really not make so many mistakes.”
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