WHAT could be more right than bringing back Bennie Boatwright?
That’s what practically every basketball soul is saying nowadays — specifically the multitude of diehard San Miguel Beer fans.
And they were right.
The 29-year-old Boatwright suited up for SMB on Sunday, April 19, 2026, and the Beermen were amply rewarded.
Despite not being totally healthy, Boatwright exploded for 41 points as he powered San Miguel Beer to a skid-arresting 98-94 win over NLEX in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Ynares Center in mountainous Antipolo City.
The 6-foot-10 Boatwright first buried two free throws that knotted the count at
94-all.
Next, he would elude his import counterpart with a sneaky shoulder fake from the left flank, scooting home for a rim-rattling two-handed dunk that shoved SMB ahead, 96-94, with 32.6 ticks left.
NLEX’s counter attack became so chaotic after that, leading to a lightning quick fastbreak layup from CJ Perez that gave SMB an almost insurmountable 98-94 bulge as time was expiring.
The Road Warriors had two desperation shots in succession that were complete duds — one from a three-point shot try by Ritchie Roger, followed by a badly-angled four-pointer by Robert Bolick.
The win wiped out a two-game losing skid for SMB as the Beermen rose to a 4-4 win-loss card in a tie with Magnolia at 6th to 7th places in the 13-team tournament being currently led by surprising Rain or Shine with an unblemished 7-0 slate.
SMB coach Leo Austria expressed unabashed glee over Boatwright’s bombastic debut, saying: “I’m so happy Boatwright — and even June Mar (Fajardo) — played well despite being both under the weather.”
Austria said both Boatwright and Fajardo were nursing coughs and colds the last three days — a result perhaps of SMB’s cramming for wins that forced them to go nine straight days without rest.
Boatwright, who replaced deserter Justin Patton, was SMB’s import when the Beermen won the Commissioner’s Cup in 2024.
Austria had the luck of rehiring Boatwright after the American’s contract had expired with the Taipei Fubon Braves almost simultaneously as Patton went AWOL (absent without leave).
Boatwright will play his second game on Tuesday, April 22, when San Miguel faces lowly Blackwater (1-6).
“It’s good to be back home,” said Boatwright, whose naturalization papers for Filipino citizenship seem to be going on smoothly in the Senate.
A big boon to Gilas Pilipinas, indeed, should that happen.
