MANILA, Philippines -- Consistency is the name of the game for Magnolia center Ian Sangalang, who has established himself as the Hotshots' steady anchor in their 2021 PBA Philippine Cup campaign.

The 29-year-old big man has let his game do the talking in their semifinals series against the Meralco Bolts, where they now hold a commanding 3-1 lead to move to the cusp of a finals appearance.

He averaged close to a double-double in the past three games of the series, with 16.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest. For his efforts from October 4-11, Sangalang earned the Cignal Play-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week honor.

The Hotshots went 2-1 last week, with the 6-foot-7 Sangalang tallying 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in their two victories.

This is the second Player of the Week citation for Sangalang, who also won in July after sparking Magnolia's strong start to the conference.

Plenty has changed since then, as the league had to postpone games for a month due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then transfer its games to the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) gym in Bacolor, Pampanga for its restart.

The break in action did not appear to faze Sangalang, who remained steady while backstopping Paul Lee, Mark Barroca, and Calvin Abueva in the Hotshots' bid for a third All-Filipino finals appearance in four years.

The former NCAA MVP put up 16 points and 10 rebounds in Magnolia’s 92-78 Game 2 win for a 2-0 lead before registering 15 markers and seven boards in a narrow 91-86 loss in Game 3.

Sangalang was instrumental in the Hotshots' crucial 81-69 Game 4 win for a mammoth 3-1 series lead with 17 points and 11 rebounds. It was his eighth double-double in the league this conference, just behind San Miguel center June Mar Fajardo's 12.

Sangalang beat out teammates Lee and Abueva as well as Terrence Romeo, Mo Tautuaa, and Fajardo of San Miguel in the weekly honor handed out by the men and women regularly covering the PBA beat.