GILAS Pilipinas coach Tim Cone is keeping an eye out on the future.
Cone confirmed that former San Miguel Beer import Bennie Boatwright has agreed to become the Nationals’ new naturalized player, saying it was his choice to tap the 6-foot-8 former USC Trojan and likened him to Justin Brownlee.
“I was the one who asked for him,” Cone said. “I think he is a tremendous talent. He has great size, and he can play in and out.
“He is very versatile. Kinda reminds me of a young Justin, just three or four inches taller,” he added.
Cone said the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas led by executive director Erika Dy and Gilas team manager Richard Del Rosario are working hard to make Boatwright, who led the Beermen to the title in the last PBA Commissioner’s Cup, a Filipino and boost Gilas’ naturalized players’ pool that includes the likes of NBA star Jordan Clarkson, Brownlee, and Ange Kouame.
“I have not been part of the conversation in terms of speaking to him and his agents. I’m hearing everything from third parties. Richard is the one speaking to him,” Cone said. “But as far as I know, we have an agreement, and he is already submitting papers to (get) naturalized.”
The long and arduous naturalized process hardly bothers Cone and Boatwright.
“This could be a process. It is usually a long process–three, four, maybe eight months,” Cone said. “We don’t know. It took Justin a long time to get his. But it’s just something else that he was excited about doing it.”
The Philippine five is bracketed with host and world No. 8 Latvia, and No. 23 Georgia in Group A in the Olympic qualifying tournament in July.
The 37th-ranked Filipino cagers must finish in the top two of their group to advance to the crossover semifinals against the top two of Group B, which includes No. 12 Brazil, No. 17 Montenegro, and No. 67 Cameroon.
The winners of the crossover semis will clash for the lone slot in the Olympics.
Gilas completed a 2-0 sweep of the first round of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers last February and will resume its drive in the second window set for Nov. 21 and 24.
Cone, appointed by the SBP as Gilas permanent tactician only last January, chose to form a 12-man national team training pool for the next four years with three lofty goals in sight–qualify for the Paris Olympics and 2027 World Cup in Qatar and the ultimate target–the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
