ANTIPOLO — Getting Bennie Boatwright on board for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers’ fifth window is indeed good news for Gilas.
But integrating the new naturalized forward into the men’s team’s scheme of things is a whole different story, and that’s where the challenge lies for head coach Tim Cone and the brain trust, given the very limited time they have.
“We’re trying to get Bennie to come in earlier, but we can’t at this point; China is still holding him,” the veteran internationalist told reporters Tuesday night.
Boatwright is still with the Fujian Sturgeons of the CBA and, similar to other leagues in Asia except the PBA, players bound for national team duties are released only three days before the actual window, according to Cone.
So, about 72 hours or less would be the only amount of time that Gilas will have to teach everything they can to prepare the USC Trojan for Window 5, in which they will be battling Syria and Iran in Seremban, Malaysia.
“In FIBA, you only have to be released three days before the actual first game,” he said. “So right now he’s due to come in and is gonna meet us in Kuala Lumpur on the 23rd, and that’s tough because he hasn’t been with us.
“He hasn’t had any time at all. We’re gonna have to try and figure out a way to make him effective within the system, and try to tweak it so we can get him effective—and that’s always difficult to do.”
Nonetheless, Cone and Gilas are extremely thankful to be having Boatwright, whom the team hopes will be the answer to Justin Brownlee’s absence as the Asian Games champion continues to recover from his various injuries.
“But he’s a talented guy; he’s gonna lend a lot of talent to the team and size and perimeter shooting, so he’s a welcome addition,” he offered. “We’re certainly gonna miss Justin, however, ’cause Justin, he just knows what to do.
“And that’s gonna be a difference. He’s gonna maybe struggle a little bit with what he’s supposed to do and how he’s supposed to do it, but we’re hoping his talent will win out on that.”
Also expected to report for duty is Kai Sotto, who, as far as Cone is concerned, shall be good to go after returning to action for Altiri Chiba in the B.League.
Practically, the reason behind their Window 4 sweep last August, the 7-foot-3 center was initially feared to be completely out of the November 26-29 competitions due to a knee issue but has seemingly recovered.
“He’s played his last two games, played 24 minutes in his last game; from what I understand, he is scheduled to come—if he wants to come,” Cone said.
“Unless something happens, we expect him to be there. He’s supposed to arrive on the 19th or the 20th; I’m not sure. Then he’ll fly with us down to Kuala Lumpur. That’s what I understand,” added the Ginebra head coach.
(C) Nicole Hernandez/Tiebreaker Times
The full talent pool for Window 5 has yet to be announced, although Cone bared that Calvin Oftana will be out, aside from the injured Carl Tamayo. The TNT star begged off from the window, as he and his wife are expecting a baby.
“Calvin has begged off. His wife is delivering at the end of the month, so he begged off and couldn’t make it,” he disclosed.
