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FILE–Magnolia’s Ian Sangalang.
MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia coach Chito Victolero will allow Ian Sangalang to focus on his recovery instead of trying to get back to the final stages of the PBA Governors’ Cup.
An undiagnosed illness has kept the left-back out after the first game of the conference last season, and Victolero said that Sangalang’s health is the top priority at this time.
“I don’t think they will come back this conference,” Victolero said in Filipino when asked after the Hotshots’ 129-109 win over NorthPort Batang Pier on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“We don’t want to force Ian to play. We want him to focus more on his recovery so he can be healthy when he comes back. But again, we’re not going to force him to play in this conference, we want him to recover well.”
Nangalang played in Magnolia’s 111-109 loss to Converge last January 29 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City before being sidelined by Victolero’s health condition and the team prefers not to discuss it in detail.
Recent photos on social media show Sangalang appearing to have lost weight, which Victolero explained at the conference was due to the effects of typhoid fever last November.
His absence caused the Hotshots to increase playing minutes from other big men in Aris Dionisio and Russell Escoto.
The addition of import Antonio Hester after starting 0-3 with Eric McCree is also aimed at filling the presence of Sangalang, known for his ability to make plays from the low post.
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