CJ Perez no rest after PBA finals

MANILA, Philippines: San Miguel Beer star wingman CJ Perez is not one to shy in any challenge, or opportunity given to him.

So when news came out that his name was included in the 12-man Gilas roster under new coach Tim Cone, Perez said he gamely took that chance despite playing non-stop since the beginning of the PBA Season 48 last November.

CJ Perez no rest after PBA finals

While the aches and bruises brought by the just-concluded Commissioner’s Cup Finals are still there, the 30-year-old Perez took just two days off, before joining the Gilas training camp in Calamba, Laguna, which concluded last Sunday.

“After the PBA (Finals), I just really had a change of mindset because this is for Gilas,” said Perez in Filipino on Monday. “I just relax for two days. And again, we’re here for the country.”

The 30-year-old Perez is coming off a highly-successful PBA Season 48 stint as he led the Beermen to the Commissioner’s Cup title.

The conference also saw him capture his first Best Player award, while capping it with a Finals MVP plum to boot after averaging 18 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists in the six-game title series.

The Beermen defeated the Magnolia Hotshots, 4-2 to win their 29th league championship.

Perez has been a familiar face for Gilas since he first saw action in the 2016 FIBA Asia Challenge.

From there, the former Lyceum Pirate played in the last two FIBA World Cup in 2019 and 2023, along with stints in the World Cup qualifiers in 2021 and again, last year.

Still, Perez said humbly that he’s still trying to absorb everything he needs to absorb under Cone despite being a veteran at Gilas.

“I don’t consider myself to be that experienced because I’m still learning the game of basketball under coach Tim,” he said.

“I still need to keep improving and understand coach Tim’s system with the help of Scottie (Thompson) and Jamie (Malonzo),” added Perez.

Gilas debuts on Thursday against Hong Kong in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers 2025.