CJ Perez stormed back into the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup with the same intensity he left it—if not more. Fresh from national duty with Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, Perez returned from a two-week layoff looking sharper, hungrier, and completely unfazed by the break as he powered San Miguel Beer to another statement win and bolstered their push for a coveted top-four finish.
Perez exploded for 33 points on a blazing 65 percent shooting—all in just the first three quarters—sparking a furious comeback that turned a 14-point deficit into a commanding 110-95 rout of TNT at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. His midrange game, long considered the missing piece in his offensive arsenal, was on full display as he drilled 11 of 17 from the perimeter.
“I think habang tumatagal, ‘yun din ang pina-practis ko,” Perez said, acknowledging that opponents often load up to stop his trademark drives. “They know I’m always gonna drive so I’m really trying to be more consistent with my outside shots.”
The 32-year-old guard caught fire in the third quarter, torching Tropang 5G for 17 points and leading a blistering 39-14 run that effectively put the game away. He rounded out his night with 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal, steering the Beermen to their sixth consecutive victory for a 6-2 record.
With Rain or Shine’s win over Converge on Sunday, San Miguel climbed into solo second, half a game clear of Magnolia, the FiberXers, and NLEX, all locked at 6-3. Every win now carries extra weight, as teams inside the top four after the 11-game eliminations secure the crucial twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
Perez’s explosive performance earned him the PBA Press Corps Player of the Week citation for December 5-7, edging out strong contenders such as Santi Santillan, Calvin Abueva, Jason Perkins, Zav Lucero, and Juan Gomez de Liano.
For San Miguel, the message is clear: with CJ Perez locked in and laser-focused, the Beermen are charging hard toward the playoffs—and they’re not slowing down anytime soon.