SAMAHANG Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) executive director Erika Dy is putting her neck on the line, saying she’s ready to accept the blame should Bennie Boatwright fails to acquire a Philippine passport and misses out on Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the coming window of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
With Boatwright finally granted Filipino citizenship, he just needs to complete post-naturalization requirements for him to be formally issued a Philippine passport.
And that’s a task that solely falls on the shoulder of the SBP, according to Dy.
Asked if Boatwright’s documents should be ready come the fifth window of the qualifiers in late November, Dy said it’s a must for the federation.
“We should,” said the basketball executive when asked ifthe naturalized player would be ready to play come the November 27 and 29 window in Seremban, Malaysia.
“Kapag hindi natin nahabol yun, ako na yun,” added Dy. “Kasi kailangan na naming galawan yun. Tapos na yung trabaho ng Congress, Senate, at tsaka ng Presidente. So kami na ngayon yung naglalakad ng papers sa BI (Bureau of Immigration) and sa DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) for the passport.”
Dy said the citizenship of the 30-year-old Boatwright came in the first week of September, by which time the Nagoya Asian Games Organizing Committee could no longer accommodate the late submission of his passport.
That left Gilas Pilipinas without a naturalized player in the Asiad as original prospect Justin Brownlee was still facing a major health issue.
“It was a little bit too late for the Asian Games,” said Dy.
The end result had the Philippines failing to defend the men’s basketball gold as it took an early exit after struggling in the group stage.
Dy said she has no idea yet about the situation of the 38-year-old Brownlee.
“Honestly, hindi ko pa nakakausap sila coach Alfrancis [Chua], our program head, with regards to Justin Brownlee,” said the SBP official, who just arrived from Nagoya on Monday where she served as one of the deputy chiefs of mission of Team Philippines.
“So pag-uusapan din namin yun.”
But Dy is optimistic about Boatwright finally suiting for the national team in its bid to land a berth in next year’s World Cup in Qatar.
“As far as I’m concerned, I think ready na yung papers ni Bennie. Then we may go with him in the November window,” she said.
Gilas Pilipinas, which carries an even 4-4 record, plays Syria on November 27 and then Iran on the 29th in the penultimate window of the qualifiers.
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