Magnolia is no longer expecting Ian Sangalang to return this PBA season.
The star big man is still recovering from an undisclosed medical reason and the Hotshots would want him to regain maximum health first and foremost before plunging back into action, according to head coach Chito Victolero.
“I think baka hindi na siya umabot and we’ll not force Ian,” said the champion mentor moments after their 129-109 victory over NorthPort in the Governors’ Cup, Thursday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Victolero, however, didn’t expound on the details of his ward’s condition.
“Right now, nagpapagaling pa si Ian,” he said. “I cannot disclose yung medical terms, but our medical staff siguro makakasagot ng mas maayos kasi may mga importanteng details doon sa kanya na hindi ko kayang sagutin.”
Sangalang played in their conference opener versus Converge last January 29.
The 31-year-old played for only a total of 12 minutes and 39 seconds, garnering just two points, two rebounds, two assists against three fouls in Magnolia’s eventual 111-109 defeat at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
It would prove to be his only game of the conference.
Including Thursday’s affair, Sangalang has now missed a total of eight games, and his absence affected the Hotshots early as they started out with three losses in a row before snapping out of it following Antonio Hester’s arrival.
The team would win five of their next six games as Victolero found Rome Dela Rosa and Russel Escoto as viable options for a depleted frontcourt — Magnolia has also been missing the services of Jackson Corpuz due to an injury.
It would definitely be better for the crew if they could welcome Sangalang back in the fold especially now that they’ve clinched a quarterfinal berth but then again, they would rather have him back healthy.
“We want ‘yung health niya mas mafocus-an niya para pagbalik niya, he is healthy and makakabalik siya ng mas maayos,” said the former cager turned shot-caller. “We will not force him to play siguro for this conference.
“We want him na maganda ‘yung recovery niya.”
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