CJ Perez dedicates PBA Philippine Cup Finals stint to young dreamers

San Miguel's PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup finals run means more than basketball for CJ Perez.

The flashy guard said he’s dedicating his and his Beermen’s return to the championship round to young basketball aspirants especially those who struggle to chase opportunities in Manila because of a lack of resources, like he once did.

"Dine-dedicate ko ‘tong finals na ‘to para sa mga batang nangangarap kagaya ko, ‘yung mga galing probinsya na mga takot pumunta dito sa Maynila kasi natatakot silang walang matirhan or hindi sila makuha," Perez said during the finals press conference on Friday. 

"'Yun ‘yung isang inspiration ko na may mga players from other provinces na walang budget pumunta dito, hindi nila alam kung paano sila maguumpisa, ‘yun ‘yung isang inspiration ko."

"I dedicate these finals to the kids who dream like me, those from the provinces that are scared to come here to Manila because they are scared that they won't have a place to live or that they wouldn't earn a spot... That's one of my inspirations, the players from other provinces who don't have the budget to come here, they don't know where to even start, that's one of my inspirations.]

Perez is marching on to his fourth PBA finals and chasing a potential third title with the franchise. 

The former NCAA MVP first tasted a finals appearance back in the 2022 Philippine Cup, when the Beermen went all the way winning the title against, incidentally, TNT. 

In Season 48, they made the finals twice but had contrasting results after ruling the Commissioner's Cup against Magnolia and bowing to Meralco in the Philippine Cup finals that allowed the Bolts to capture their breakthrough crown in history. 

It was a tough ride for San Miguel in the ongoing Season 49 as they failed to make the Governors' Cup finals before missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 years in the Commissioner's Cup. 

But behind Perez and other core members of the Beermen, San Miguel is now back in familiar territory as they take on the Tropang 5G in the Philippine Cup finals.

And just being on this big stage is already an honor for Perez, as he hopes to inspire the younger generation in their pursuit of a basketball dream. 

"Being in the finals and playing basketball, ‘yung nilalaro mo ‘yung mahal mo, it’s an honor," the 31-year-old Perez said. 

[Being in the finals and playing basketball, playing the game you love, it's an honor.]

—JMB, GMA Integrated News