ANTIPOLO CITY – Magnolia badly missed the inside presence of Ian Sangalang and absorbed a second straight loss in the PBA Governors Cup courtesy of TNT Tropang Giga, 93-85, on Friday night at the Ynares Center.
The 6-foot-7 former NCAA MVP was under the weather, according to coach Chito Victolero, and there’s no definite timeline for his return. The Hotshots’ next game comes this Sunday against the unbeaten San Miguel Beermen.
“Kailangan niya munang magpahinga. Hopefully, we can have Ian in our next game, or sa mga susunod pa naming games next week,” said Victolero.
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Sangalang suited up in Magnolia’s opening game for the conference, a 111-109 heartbreaker against Converge. He was held to just two points, two rebounds, and two assists on 12 minutes of play.
After that, he never got to practice for the team against the Tropang Giga.
“Under the weather na siya kaya hindi siya nakapag-practice,” Victolero added.
Noticeable was how Sangalang appeared to have lost weight, which according to Victolero was an effect of a bout with typhoid fever which forced him to miss a couple of games in the last Commissioner’s Cup.
“If you remember last conference, tinamaan si Ian ng ano (typhoid fever),” said the Magnolia coach. “But he’s OK. And he’ll be back sooner.”
Despite without their best big man, the Hotshots still outrebounded the Tropang Giga, 57-47, but were outscored in the paint, 52-40.
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