Gilas’ CJ Perez prioritizes defense, gets ‘bonus’ offense in loss

MANILA, Philippines—Guard CJ Perez had one of the brighter outings for Gilas Pilipinas in its 69-66 loss to New Zealand in the Fiba World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers at Mall of Asia Arena on Thursday night. Despite his strong shooting, Perez downplayed his scoring and emphasized his defensive role. “Actually, I know I wasn’t in