Injuries Sideline Calvin Oftana, CJ Perez as Gilas Pilipinas' FIBA Asia Cup Hopes Suffer Major Blow

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by Raymund Tamayo

Gilas Pilipinas guard CJ Perez suffered an ankle injury midway through the second period of their quarterfinal game against Saudi Arabia.
Gilas Pilipinas guard CJ Perez suffered an ankle injury midway through the second period of their quarterfinal game against Saudi Arabia. Photo: FIBA.

Gilas Pilipinas' FIBA Asia Cup 2025 campaign has been dealt a tough blow, with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) confirming that Calvin Oftana and CJ Perez have been ruled out for the rest of the tournament due to ankle injuries.

The news comes as a significant setback for the national team, which had just secured a hard-fought 95-88 victory over Saudi Arabia. The win, however, was bittersweet, as it was in this game that Perez suffered his tournament-ending injury.

With just under six minutes left in the second quarter, the fiery guard lost his footing while scrambling for a loose ball, and an unlucky collision with Saudi Arabia's Ali Shubayli resulted in him landing awkwardly on his right ankle.

Calvin Oftana against Iraq.
Calvin Oftana against Iraq. Photo: FIBA.

Perez's injury followed a similar incident just two days prior when Oftana went down late in Gilas' win against Iraq. The athletic forward accidentally stepped on an opponent's foot, aggravating a pre-existing right ankle injury and immediately sidelining him.

Head coach Tim Cone expressed his concern for Perez after the Saudi Arabia game, admitting the injury "was not a good one" and that the team's prayers were with him. 

The loss of both players is particularly tough, given that they both recently finished a grueling six-game PBA Philippine Cup Finals series. They had barely had a chance to rest before answering the call of national duty.

In a statement, the SBP thanked both players for their commitment, calling their willingness to serve "selfless." The federation also announced that Gilas would dedicate its upcoming game against Australia to Oftana and Perez, vowing to "continue to battle" for them. 

The road ahead for Gilas just got a lot harder, and the team will need to rally together to fill the void left by these two key players.