San Miguel star CJ Perez shrugs off Game 5 struggles as PBA Finals head to Game 6

The TNT Tropang Giga kept their hopes of winning the elusive Grand Slam of Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) titles alive by bouncing back to beat the San Miguel Beermen in Game 5 of the Philippine Cup Finals, 86–78, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, July 23.

San Miguel failed to finish the job and will now need to win Game 6, with many pointing to the poor showing of guard CJ Perez as one of the reasons for their loss. Perez uncharacteristically struggled on offense, managing only five points on 1-of-9 shooting from the field — his lowest output of the Philippine Cup Finals series.

Despite his poor performance in Game 5, Perez remains unfazed by his offensive struggles and is confident he’ll bounce back.

“I think being aggressive is what I can contribute to the team. If I’m not aggressive on offense or defense, then I’m not really being myself,” Perez said to the media.

Notably, the 31-year-old has averaged 13.75 points in the first four games of the series. He acknowledged that TNT is a strong team with all the tools to mount a comeback — something he says is expected in a long series.

CJ Perez on his declining game.

“From eliminations to playoffs, pababa ng pababa ‘yung output ko, so kailangan kong maging more aggressive sa una pa lang.”

– Kahit sinong SMB fan mapapadasal dito sa sinabi niya

— … (@relaxdude1111) July 24, 2025

“We’re not thinking about pressure. They (Tropang Giga) are a good team. Of course, they’re a championship team. They won’t just give it away — we have to earn it,” he added.

Perez knows better than to dwell on the past, having already achieved significant success in his career.

“It’s a tough one to lose, but there’s still Friday. There’s one more game — we still have a chance to bounce back,” he concluded.

A two-time PBA champion and the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), Perez is a proven winner and will look to deliver a stronger performance when the two teams face off in the pivotal Game 6 on Friday, July 25, at the PhilSports Arena.

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