MANILA, Philippines – The Gilas Pilipinas pool of players for the fifth window of the World Cup qualifiers is now down to 19. 

Ian Sangalang won’t be in the running for a spot in the Nationals’ final 12-man lineup as he recuperates from a right ACL injury he aggravated during Magnolia’s semis clash against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Governors’ Cup. 

“I don’t think makakahabol pa siya kasi ‘ayun nga (I don’t think he can catch up with us because) he was battered in the semifinals,” Gilas head coach Yeng Guiao told reporters after the Filipinos’ 68-74 loss to Lebanon in a tuneup game on Friday, November 23. 

“And siguro alam din niya na ‘yung urgency for his services is not that, siguro he is not that needed ‘yung kanyang ano so maybe he chose to just recover and rest himself and we don’t take that against him,” he added.

(And I think he probably knows that the urgency for his services is perhaps not that needed so maybe he chose to just recover and rest himself and we don’t take that against him.) 

Sangalang, who debuted for the senior squad in the fourth window last September, did not attend recent national team practices and did not suit up in the last 3 tuneup games Gilas played in.

He is expected to be back on the hardcourt as the Hotshots tangle with the Alaska Aces in a best-of-seven finals duel in the Governors’ Cup beginning on December 5. 

Fortunately for the national team, it has a plethora of big men to choose from heading into its duels against Kazakhstan and Iran on November 30 and December 3, respectively. 

“[I] guess mababawasan ng kaunti ‘yung headache mo dahil hindi mo na siya iniisip. So ngayon, 19 na lang pinagpipilian namin,” Guiao added. 

(I guess it causes a little less headache for me because I don’t have to think about his spot. So now, there are only 19 players to choose from.) – Rappler.com