Gilbeys Gin cager Terry Saldaña passed away at 64 years old due to failing health brought by kidney disease.
Former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) player Antero "Terry" Saldaña has succumbed to his lingering kidney illness. He was 64, announced his former team Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on February 1.
Known in the league as the “Plastic Man,” Saldaña made his debut in the PBA with the Toyota Super Corollas in 1982 and made an impact from the get- go to help the team win the championships in the Reinforced Filipino and Open conferences.
Saldaña was the runaway bet to win the Rookie of the Year award but was unfortunately disqualified after taking part in the infamous brawl with South Korea in the Invitational tournament, Sports Inquirer said.
He then went on to play for the Barangay Ginebra, formerly known as Gilbeys Gin before rebranding to its current name, from 1983 to 1987, where he had a breakout career in 1983 when he led his team in scoring and rebounding, giving him the PBA's first Most Improved Player Award.
Saldaña also played for coach Yeng Guiao, first with Swift in 1993, then reunited with coach Robert Jaworski from 1997 to 1998, when the Gin Kings was known as "Gordon's Gin Boars," and then went back with CYG and played for the Batang Red Bull in 2000 for his final season.
"So sorry to hear about Terry Saldaña's passing," wrote Ginebra head coach Tim Cone on Twitter, reported Manila Times.
"I remember him well in those Ginebra and Swift days. He was so hard to stop around the basket, and I'll remember him for coming back from his gruesome injury. It took a lot of character to do that. NSD [never say die], Terry."
The “Plastic Man” concluded his PBA career as a five-time PBA champ, winning two Reinforced Filipino Conference Finals, a PBA Third Conference Final, and two Commissioner's Cups, and has been regarded as a PBA Legend since.
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