Boatwright upbeat on Gilas debut in Asiad

NATURALIZATION candidate Bennie Boatwright is upbeat about his possible Gilas Pilipinas debut in the Asian Games (Asiad) and collaboration with Justin Brownlee.

Mr. Boatwright’s bid got a big boost as the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, after conducting a hearing on Wednesday, endorsed House Bill No. 6639 and Senate Bill No. 1595, the bills seeking to grant him Philippine citizenship, to the plenary for approval on second and third reading.

With support from sports-minded legislators led by Senator Christopher T. Go, the proposed measure is expected to breeze by the next phase of the process and open the door to his potential participation in the Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 Asiad in Japan.

“For sure, I’m definitely looking forward to that (Asiad). I heard that you can have two imports, so me and Justin can play together. That would be exciting,” he said.

“I will do my best to help out, win another championship, but one step at a time. I have to get naturalized first, and then we go,” he added.

The 6-foot-10 San Miguel import reiterated his desire to not only play for Gilas but also become a Filipino during the hearing, where he was accompanied by Gilas Program Director Alfrancis Chua and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Erika Dy.

Mr. Boatwright received the backing of Mr. Go, chair of the Senate committees on Sports and Youth.

“Granting deserving individuals Philippine citizenship will not only strengthen our national sports program and enhance our international competitiveness, but will also inspire future generations of Filipino athletes to pursue excellence, discipline, and national pride,” said Mr. Go, who co-authored the citizenship measure for Mr. Boatwright as well as Fil-Am judoka Matthew Ramos.

Mr. Go believes Mr. Boatwright will be a major addition to Gilas. — Olmin Leyba