TnT forward Dillinger ruled out for the rest of the season

MANILA, Philippines – Talk n Text forward Jared Dillinger was declared out for the rest of the season after getting seriously injured in a car accident last Saturday.

Philstar.com first learned of the news from TnT coach Norman Black on Saturday before the team went to practice at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center inside the Ateneo campus. (read related story here: http://www.philstar.com/sports/2013/04/27/935598/tnt-forward-jared-dillinger-figures-car-mishap)

Contrary to the other reports that came out (not in this site) that Dillinger is already at home recuperating, Dillinger is still at the Makati Medical Center.

Some of Dillinger’s teammates including last night’s Best Player of the Game Ranidel de Ocampo went straight to the hospital to visit the Fil-American wingman right after the Tropang Texters tied their semifinal series against Ginebra at one game apiece.  

Talk n Text released its official statement regarding on Dillinger’s status in a long SMS message sent by its team manager Aboy Castro to the media.

The statement read in full:

“Some time after TNT's Semifinal Game 1 last Friday, Apr 26, Jared Dillinger figured in a vehicular accident along the South Superhighway on his way home. He was alone in his SUV. No one else was injured and no property was damaged.

Jared was brought to the Makati Medical Center and immediately subjected to a battery of tests. The left iliac wing (pelvic bone) was found to have a comminuted fracture with 60% inward displacement. This type of fracture poses a risk to professional basketball players who have to deal with all the running, jumping and contact involved with the sport.

On Wednesday Jared will undergo a procedure to realign his pelvis and stabilize the fracture with metal plates and screws. He will not be ambulatory for 6-12 weeks to allow the bone to heal. Then he will start the long rehabilitation process to allow him to come back and play at the highest level of professional basketball. This process will take anywhere between 3-6 months depending on how Jared's body responds to the operation and the rehab.

Jared will miss the rest of the PBA Season and will not be part of the Gilas campaign this coming August.”

In a GMA News’ Balitanghali episode last Saturday, reporter Mariz Umali said that the incident happened at 4 am in the morning of Saturday.

Apparently on his way to home in Merville Subdivision, Paranaque, Dillinger rammed his new Mitsubishi Montero Sport into a post along the Skyway road. Dillinger pleaded to the responding barangay officials to take him home but instead, the cager was sent to the Makati Medical Center after suffering serious injuries.

Dillinger’s absence put a dent to Talk n Text’s bid to win back-to-back championships and fifth in the last eight conferences as they are already missing top forward Kelly Williams to a recurring illness.