IAN Sangalang faces the prospect of missing out the rest of the PBA Governors’ Cup for Magnolia as he continues to recover from an undisclosed illness.
Ian Sangalang injury update
Coach Chito Victolero believes the 6-foot-7 Sangalang will no longer be available for the Hotshots’ campaign in the season-ending meet, where he has only played for a single game.
“I think baka hindi na umabot si Ian. We will not force him,” said Victolero following the Hotshots’ 129-109 beating of the NorthPort Batang Pier Thursday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“We want yung health niya makapag-focus siya, para pagbalik niya he’s healthy and makakabalik siya ng mas maayos.”
Victolero wouldn’t want to divulge what ails the former NCAA MVP from San Sebastian, leaving the matter for Magnolia’s medical team to elaborate.
“I cannot disclose the medical terms…kasi may importanteng details na hindi ko kayang sagutin,” he said.
“But ongoing yung kanyang recovery.”
But the Magnolia Hotshots News fan page posted a Facebook photos last Tuesday with Sangalang, teammates Jio Jalalon and Russel Escoto together with their respective espouses and children and liason officer Reena Dimaculangan Del Mundo, having a dinner together and with the caption ‘Night before Ian Sangalang road to recovery.’
The 31-year-old Sangalang only played in the Hotshots’ debut game this conference, a 111-109 loss to the Converge FiberXers where he finished with two points, two rebounds, and two assists as a starter.
But it was obvious, he lost a considerable amount of weight and appeared sluggish inside the court.
He has been a no-show since then in all of Magnolia’s games.
Despite turning the team’s campaign around and securing a berth in the quarterfinals, Victolero said Magnolia is not about to rush back its best big man.
“We will not force him to play this conference para mas maganda yung recovery niya kung mas mahaba yung pahinga niya,” said Victolero.
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