It took two years, but Bennie Boatwright is finally back in the Philippines playing for the San Miguel Beermen. And, on Sunday, in his first game for the Beermen, Boatwright looked like he never left, dialing in 41 big points, including three from four-point distance and the go-ahead dunk with less than a minute left to help San Miguel beat the NLEX Road Warriors.
So, yes, Boatwright left the PBA a winner. He returned a winner. And he is just grateful to be back—not just with San Miguel, but also, more broadly, in the Philippines.
“It feels good to be back home, and I appreciate San Miguel for bringing me back as their import,” he said after the Beermen’s hard-earned 98-94 victory over NLEX. “I appreciate all the support. The Philippines is home to me, so I love playing here and I appreciate everything.”
Bennie Boatwright, the Successor to Justin Brownlee in Gilas
Boatwright, of course, might be close to making the Philippines his permanent second home. That’s because his naturalization is moving along briskly, with the bill seeking his Filipino citizenship already approved on third and final reading in Congress.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Boatwright said of the prospect of becoming eligible to play for the national team. “I keep that in mind every day while I’m training, just preparing for it. I think it’s a really good opportunity, and I’m grateful for it.”
Once that naturalization is finalized, the 6-foot-10 Boatwright will join Justin Brownlee and Angelo Kouame as the Philippines’ naturalized reinforcements, able to play in all FIBA-sanctioned events and in regional meets like the Asian Games and SEA Games.
That Gilas thing, though, is only secondary for Boatwright at the moment. The main reason he’s back here in the Philippines is to turn San Miguel’s fortunes around in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup after starting out 3-4. The Beermen are now 4-4 thanks largely to Bennie Buckets getting buckets against NLEX on Sunday. And they’re certainly hoping that’s a sign of more good things to come.
