Bennie’s back in town

MANILA, Philippines — Prospective naturalized player Bennie Boatwright is back in town and will appear before Congress tomorrow in connection with his application for Filipino citizenship. Boatwright, 29, arrived here Sunday from Taiwan where he’s playing for the Fubon Braves in the local P.League+. He returns to Taiwan on Thursday.

Gilas team manager and assistant coach Richard del Rosario visited Boatwright in Taipei last September to check on his recovery from injury and commitment to suit up for Gilas. Boatwright suffered an Achilles rupture in August last year and underwent surgery. He made his Fubon debut in the P.League+ last Nov. 8 and scored seven points. The next day, Boatwright hit 20 points, including four of five triples, to lead Fubon to a 133-106 win over YKE. In EASL last Oct. 8, he notched 21 points, including five of seven triples, as the Braves downed Tochigi Brex, 109-107.

Gilas starts training camp at the Blue Eagle Gym today in preparation for the FIBA World Cup Asia qualifying window against Guam. Coach Tim Cone will bring the squad to Inspire for an isolated camp on Nov. 21-23 before departing for Guam on Nov. 25. The first game will be at the Calvo Fieldhouse on Nov. 28 and the rematch at the Blue Eagle Gym on Dec 1.

Del Rosario said Jamie Malonzo, who left Ginebra to play in the Japanese B-League only to find himself out of a team after five games, will attend Gilas practice. Troy Rosario, RJ Abarrientos and Juan Gomez de Liaño are also in the pool. Kevin Quiambao has a KBL game on Thursday and will check in the next day. AJ Edu will arrive late. Dwight Ramos was scheduled to plane in yesterday. Both Edu and Ramos are playing in the B-League. Kai Sotto, still recovering from an ACL injury, will attend the Gilas camp and join the team in Guam but won’t play. Justin Brownlee arrived last Friday and is ready to see action for Gilas.