Ian Sangalang NCAA week’s best

MANILA—With little fanfare, Ian Sangalang has become a major contributor to San Sebastian’s unbeaten start to the 87th NCAA basketball tournament.

Calvin Abueva and Ronald Pascual may be piling up the highlight reels, but Sangalang has proven equally important for the Stags, who are looking to reclaim the crown they last won in 2009.

Sparkling on both ends of the floor, Sangalang posted averages of 18 points, 12 rebounds and 4.5 blocks in the Stags’ two victories this week to bag the Accel-3XVI NCAA Press Corps Player of the Week.

The 6-foot-6 center amassed 16 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks in San Sebastian’s 92-79 win over Arellano last Monday, before tallying 20 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks and two steals in a 71-66 win over Mapua last Wednesday.

A standout from Pampanga, Sangalang has already logged six double-double games this season, a testament to his much improved game.

Stags coach Topex Robinson is hoping that Sangalang stays consistent as the Stags face their toughest test yet in the defending champion San Beda Lions on Friday.

“Our 100 percent will not be enough against San Beda so we really have to step up,” said Robinson, who has relied
heavily on his “Big Three” of Pascual, Abueva and Sangalang this season.

Sangalang bested Abueva, Pascual, Letran’s Jam Cortes and Raymond Almazan and San Beda’s Garvo Lanete for the weekly award backed by Gatorade.