Hotshots upend BPier on Sangalang show
ANGELES CITY – Pampanga pride Ian Sangalang delivered a fine show before his cabalens in the Petron Blaze road showdown here last night, top scoring with 22 points off the bench as Magnolia topped GlobalPort, 92-87, for its first win in the PBA Commissioner ’s Cup.
Vernon Macklin held his own against Malcolm White, Rome dela Rosa helped provide the scoring sock with 14 points while Mark Barroca neutralized Stanley Pringle as the Hotshots redeemed themselves from their heart-rending loss to the Phoenix Fuel Masters in their conference debut.
Sangalang, however, stood out with his timely hits at the finish, capping a solid performance cheered on by his provincemates inside the Angeles University Foundation Gym.
The 6-foot-6 center/forward is from the nearby Lubao town where he’s discovered to play for the Philippine youth team before strutting his stuff with the San Sebastian Stags in the NCAA.
Sangalang made five points in their decisive 9-2 closing salvo in the close game where neither team enjoyed a lead of more than eight.
Held to two points in the last four minutes of the game, the Batang Pier went down to a second loss in four outings.
Barroca struggled with a 2-of-11 clip but made his presence felt with his pesky defense on Pringle whom he limited to 5-of-17 shooting.
With Barroca all over him, Pringle was held down to two charities in the last six minutes.
Magnolia also employed a tough team defense, forcing GlobalPort to 23 turnovers. And the Hotshots beat the Batang Pier, 21-13, on points off turnovers.