MANILA, Philippines — Guard CJ Perez was one of the standout performers for Gilas Pilipinas in Thursday night’s 69-66 defeat to New Zealand national basketball team at the Mall of Asia Arena during the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers.
Perez, a San Miguel Beer star, scored 15 points while adding three rebounds and three assists, but foul trouble limited his minutes in the second half. Despite his scoring, he emphasized his defensive role, noting he had some “bonus” points while focusing primarily on stopping New Zealand.
“We fell short but we’re happy that we executed our defense,” Perez said. “I’m sure in the next game, we’ll correct our mistakes, especially the ones we had in that final quarter.”
The Philippines’ next game will be a rematch against Australia national basketball team on Sunday at the same venue.