PBA: Magnolia coach denies plans to trade Ian Sangalang | ABS-CBN

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PBA: Magnolia coach denies plans to trade Ian Sangalang

PBA: Magnolia coach denies plans to trade Ian Sangalang

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

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MANILA, Philippines -- Ian Sangalang has received assurance from Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero that he remains a crucial cog of the Hotshots.

This, amid trade rumors swirling around the veteran forward.

"(Even) before naman, wala na 'yun eh," Victolero said Wednesday. "We're not looking on that."

The 29-year-old Sangalang was the second overall pick by Magnolia in the 2013 PBA Rookie Draft. He has been the Hotshots' top scoring option inside the paint for several seasons. In the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, Sangalang weathered injuries to put up 14.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

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Victolero said he has personally told Sangalang to pay no mind to the trade rumors.

"Yun din ang sinabi ko sa kaniya, na huwag na niya isipin, walang maba-bother because last year ganoon din. So ayun, wala namang planong ganoon," he said.

"We don't want to break the chemistry, 'yung chemistry namin because maayos naman," he added.

Rather than trading Sangalang, the Hotshots are looking for someone who can help him -- a "partner," according to Victolero.

They took a big step towards fulfilling that need when they acquired Calvin Abueva in a blockbuster trade with Phoenix Super LPG on Wednesday, with Chris Banchero heading to the Fuel Masters in exchange.

However, Victolero said they still have some holes in their roster that they have to fill.

"Ang kailangan lang namin is 'yung makakatulong na posisyon, 'yung isang posisyon na 'yun or ilang posisyon para… ma-improve 'yung team namin."

"With the addition of Calvin, medyo gumanda, at I think ilang position na lang. So siguro sa draft na namin kukuhanin 'yon," he added.

Magnolia team manager Alvin Patrimonio previously said that they are looking for a big man in the Rookie Draft. The Hotshots switched first round picks with Phoenix in the Abueva trade and they will now be selecting 10th overall.

Victolero said they will first study the final list of draftees that will be released by the Commissioner's Office early next month.

"Wait and see lang muna kami," he said. "After March 5, siguro we'll try to talk kung ano ba 'yung position na dapat naming punuin, anong klaseng player 'yung kailangan namin tingnan, tapos from there, saka kami mag-start siguro."

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MMA: Pacio's decision to train with bigger fighters pays off vs. Brooks

MMA: Pacio's decision to train with bigger fighters pays off vs. Brooks

ABS-CBN News

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Joshua Pacio ahead of his match against Jarred Brooks for the undisputed ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion at ONE 171 in the Lusail Sports Arena in Doha, Qatar on February 20, 2025. Handout/ONE ChampionshipJoshua Pacio ahead of his match against Jarred Brooks for the undisputed ONE Strawweight MMA World Champion at ONE 171 in the Lusail Sports Arena in Doha, Qatar on February 20, 2025. Handout/ONE Championship

MANILA -- While training for his highly-anticipated trilogy bout against Jarred Brooks, Filipino MMA star Joshua Pacio took a big risk that paid off in a major way.

Proving that practice makes perfect, Pacio put himself to the test during his sparring sessions. There, he was put in precarious positions and choked on a daily basis.

His regimen was rewarded when he defeated Brooks in co-main event of ONE 171: Qatar last Thursday at the Lusail Sports Arena in Doha, allowing him to unify the ONE Strawweight MMA World Title.  

The Lions Nation MMA representative endured relentless pressure from Brooks in the first round. He survived a bevy of chokes from the American before responding in kind in the second round with suffocating pressure of his own to get the TKO win. 

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For "The Passion," he wouldn’t have survived those submission attempts if he hadn’t been consistently choked by #2-ranked bantamweight MMA contender Stephen Loman during training sessions. 

"The D'arce [was] not actually close, maybe the guillotine and the last one [was] like 70 percent. But you know, there's a lot of guys choking me out in the gym. I've been there a hundred times in that position, and I know the feeling," he said. 

"I'm used to it. Imagine Stephen Loman choking me every day in the gym." 

Pacio had entered the bout as a massive underdog, but he never succumbed to self doubt.

"I'm confident in my training, in my preparation. Every position we studied in training camp, every position that Jarred [would] do to me. You know, lots of hours, we drilled it. Situational, we drilled it," he said. 

"My jiu-jitsu coach, my wrestling coach, we've been working on every position that Jarred [would] do. So I [was] very confident that wherever the fight [went], ground, stand up, I'd [be] very confident."

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