MANILA, Philippines -- Antero "Terry" Saldaña, who played 17 seasons in the PBA, passed away on Wednesday after a lingering illness. He was 65 years old.

PBA commissioner Willie Marcial confirmed the news, as relayed to him by Saldaña's former Toyota teammate, Ed Cordero.

After suiting up for University of Santo Tomas in college, Saldaña entered the PBA in 1982 and played for several teams while winning six championships. He was the league's Most Improved Player in 1983 — the inaugural winner of the award.

Nicknamed "Plastic Man," Saldaña went on to play until his 40s.

In January 2021, posts on social media revealed that Saldaña is struggling with various medical issues.

The PBA coordinated with its Legends program to come to the aid of the big man.

• READ: PBA ready to help struggling Terry Saldaña
• READ: PBA Legends leading the way in helping Terry Saldana

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