SAN Miguel is still considering bringing back Bennie Boatwright for its PBA Commissioner’s Cup title defense despite the import's recent Achilles surgery.
The Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player candidate is expected to be ready by early December, just a few weeks after the mid-season conference goes full blast.
The Commissioner’s Cup is slated to start on Nov. 27.
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“Injured pa sa Achilles, but hopefully target date niya end of November or first week of December,” said San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent.
The 6-foot-10 Boatwright may not be in playing shape yet by then after being sidelined following the surgery he had in the US last August.
But Gallent said getting in shape is not a concern for the 28-year-old native of Los Angeles, California.
“Pwede naman. Madali lang ma-kondisyon yun,” the San Miguel coach added.
Boatwright powered the Beermen to the Commissioner’s Cup championship last year when they beat Tyler Bay and the Magnolia Hotshots in the finals, 4-2.
His performance caught the attention of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) leadership and Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone that Boatwright was offered to become part of the national team’s pool of naturalized players.
He last played for the Shanxi Loongs in the Chinese Basketball Association.
Plans of bringing back Boatwright by San Miguel comes in the wake of the franchise’s failure to advance to the Governors’ Cup Finals after losing to Barangay Ginebra, 4-2, in their best-of-seven semifinals.
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