ANTIPOLO – Bennie Boatwright remains very relevant for Gilas Pilipinas as its next naturalized player.
National team deputy coach Jong Uichico and Gilas stalwart CJ Perez both expressed belief the 29-year-old import is deserving of a place in the Philippine men’s team as a key addition to the naturalized duo of Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame.
READ Boatwright looks forward to finally completing naturalization process
The process for Boatwright’s naturalization is currently in the works.
“I think he will be a good fit (pa rin) for Gilas,” said Uichico on Sunday night after seeing his NLEX team get torched by Boatwright for 41 points in a 98-94 loss to San Miguel Beer in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Boatwright scored 25 points in the first half alone and scored his final basket of the game on a two-handed dunk that broke the final deadlock of the contest and gave the Beermen a 96-94 lead.
He added 11 rebounds, two assists, and a steal in his return to the team that he powered to the championship of this same conference two years ago.
“He’s a smart player. May shooting, may drive, and malaki siya, 6-foot-10, e,” said Uichico, one of coach Tim Cone’s deputies at Gilas Pilipinas.
Perez, 32, also vouched for Boatwright being suitable for Gilas.
“He’s a good fit sa sistema ng Gilas kasi Triangle (system) puro naman perimeter yun. I think he’s still good,” said Perez of San Miguel’s comebacking import, who replaced Justin Patton.
Boatwright committed half of the Beermen’s 10 turnovers, but Perez said the University of Southern California product has yet to get back in tip top shape.
“Nabakante kasi siya,” said Perez of the Los Angeles, California native, who last played for the Daegu KOGAS Pegasus in the Korean Basketball League.
Perez said Boatwright hasn’t changed a bit since he first played for the franchise in 2024 to take over the place of Ivan Aska.
“He’s still the same, sobrang consistent pa rin ang shooting, sobrang unselfish pa rin, hindi siya nagrereklamo if he don’t get the ball,” said the former NCAA MVP.
Give Boatwright a few more games and Perez believes he’ll be an even better player than the one that previously played for san Miguel.
“Kaunting conditioning lang kasi nawala siya ng ilang weeks pero ok naman siya,” added Perez.
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