AFTER seeing rookie CJ Perez torched NLEX Saturday night in the PBA Commissioner's Cup, cage great Jojo Lastimosa quickly labeled the Columbian Dyip standout as a special player.
"He's a superstar in the making," quipped Lastimosa following the Road Warriors' 120-105 loss to the Dyip in the Petron Blaze Saturday Special at the Mall of Asia Arena.
"We had no answer against him."
Perez was in beast mode for the Dyip, exploding for a career-high 39 points in leading the team to its breakthrough win after losing its first three games of the conference.
Last year's top overall pick in the draft added nine rebounds, three assists, and three steals, while committing just a single turnover in 35 minutes of play.
He was 15-of-21 from the field and was a spectacular 7-of-8 from three-point range.
"Si CJ Perez yata ang import tonight, e," said Lastimosa, one of the 25 PBA Greatest Players in history, of Perez, who outscored Columbian import Kyle James Barone (31 pts) and NLEX's very own Tony Mitchell (32 pts).
"Hats off to him (Perez). He's a really good player," added the NLEX deputy, who is calling the shots for the Road Warriors in the absence of head coach Yeng Guiao.
NLEX fell to a 0-4 record.(RG)