Gilas Pilipinas’ gold medal defense at the 20th Asian Games could be facing a perilous path. And it’s not just because the nationals are on an early collision course with China and could be staring at potential knockout games against South Korea, Japan, and Chinese Taipei. It’s also because one of the team’s expected weapons, Bennie Boatwright, won’t be playing in the quadrennial games.
Tim Cone, who piloted the Philippines to its first Asian Games gold medal since 1962, confirmed the unfortunate development himself in Noli Eala’s Power & Play Podcast on Saturday.
“He [Boatwright] won’t be able to play in either tournament. There’s a slight possibility he could play in the window. What I’m talking about [is] the window is the FIBA tournament with Iran and Jordan. The Asian Games is obviously the tournament in Japan. Benny will not be available for the Asian Games. The papers didn’t come in time, [and] Japan has already stricken him from the list and won’t be considered anymore for the Asian Games.”
Boatwright’s Naturalization Hiccup
Boatwright’s naturalization bill had been approved on final reading back in June and was already transmitted to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos for his signature to formalize it into law.
The bill wasn’t signed, however, and instead lapsed into law after 30 days. That left a very small window for Boatwright and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to complete the rest of the processes needed to acquire the necessary documents required for the Asian Games.
Justin Brownlee Should Be Back… If He’s Healthy
While Boatwright won’t be playing, Cone expects resident naturalized player Justin Brownlee to be back for Gilas Pilipinas’ Asiad campaign—that is, if he is fit enough to play.
“We expect Justin to play [in the Asian Games],” Cone said. “Assuming he’s 100 percent by that time, so basically, Justin for the [FIBA] window, and Justin for the Asian Games.”
Brownlee, of course, is back in the US at the moment recovering from multiple leg injuries, which kept him out of Gilas Pilipinas’ game against Australia in the third window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers back in July. These injuries also forced Cone to find a temporary replacement for him in Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s PBA Governors’ Cup campaign.
With Boatwright out of the Asian Games, the hope now is that Brownlee will be back to his old, game-changing self when Asiad hoops get going on September 19.
