Naturalization ni Boatwright hinihintay makumpleto

MANILA, Philippines — Habang nasa proseso pa ang naturalization papers ni Bennie Boatwright, si Justin Brownlee pa rin ang main man ng Gilas Pilipinas.

Sinabi ni Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone na hinihintay pa ng Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas na maaprubahan ang natura­lization ni Boatwright.

Kaya naman si Brownlee pa rin ang ibabandera ng Gilas sa oras sa sumabak ito sa second window ng FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers sa Nobyembre.

“He’s (Boatwright) in a process. I don’t know the full process with being naturalized but he’s been handed to the House and Senate, and he’s going through the process,” ani Cone.

Aabot sa anim na buwan ang proseso ng naturalization ni Boatwright kaya’t posibleng hindi ito umabot sa second window ng qualifiers.

“As far as I know, it’s like a six-month process at least to go through whole process of being natura­lized. We know there’s a lot of sports aficionados in the Senate.  They are excited with having Bennie just as we are,” ani Cone.

Napili si Boatwright na maging kandidato bilang naturalized player ng Gilas matapos ang impresibong laro nito sa PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Optimistiko si Cone na mapapabilis ang natura­lization ni Boatwright para agad itong makasama ng Gilas sa mga laban nito.

“He can come in some five or seven days before the next window and work with us. That would be great,” ani Cone.

Sasabak ang Gilas sa second window laban sa New Zealand at Hong Kong na idaraos dito sa Maynila.