ANTIPOLO – Bennie Boatwright is confident his bid for naturalization will get back on track, following his return to the Philippines.
The import reunited with the San Miguel Beermen in the PBA 50 Commissioner's Cup last week and played his first game on Sunday.
READ: Boatwright drops 41 points in return as San Miguel escapes NLEX
Boatwright is seeking to be naturalized to become eligible to play for Gilas Pilipinas.
In 2024, Boatwright's naturalization began when then Senator Sonny Angara filed Senate Bill No. 2646 in the 19th Congress.
READ: SBP staying patient on Boatwright naturalization
Boatwright suffered an Achilles injury in August of the same year, putting the process on hold.
Last month, the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights opened the deliberations on the citizenship bids of basketball players Malick Diouf and Elizabeth Means.
The panel deferred the discussion on the proposal for Boatwright, since he was still playing in South Korea, making him unable to attend the hearing.
"I'm looking forward to it. I think we have like one more hearing in the Senate. And then I think I should be good to go after that. So it's nice that I'm here," he told reporters after San Miguel's 98-94 win over NLEX.
"I'm very confident. I'm just being patient," Boatwright added.
The San Miguel import showed he's still got it after putting up a huge scoring night for the Beermen in his first game back.
Boatwright dropped 41 points and 11 rebounds in his return, shooting 3-of-5 from the four-point line.
The 29-year-old said he is not privy to details on the naturalization process since it is being handled by Gilas deputy coach Richard del Rosario.
For now, Boatwright is staying positive and keeping himself ready when the time comes for him to suit up for Gilas.
"I keep that in mind every day when I'm training. So I'm just preparing, just preparing for it. I think it's a real good opportunity that I'm grateful for," Boatwright shared.