San Miguel Beer’s hopes of taking control of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals were derailed in Game 4, and CJ Perez made it clear where he thought the team fell short: energy.

After a 110-87 loss to TNT Tropang G5 on Wednesday, Perez didn’t mince words. According to the Beermen star, San Miguel failed to match the intensity that TNT brought from the opening tip.

“They played harder than us tonight,” Perez admitted. “From the first whistle, you could see the difference in effort. We didn’t respond the way we needed to.”

TNT came out firing, pushing the pace and moving the ball efficiently. Their defense disrupted San Miguel’s plans, creating turnovers that led to fast-break points. By halftime, the Tropang G5 had already built a lead that would prove too much for the Beermen to overcome.

For Perez, the defeat wasn’t just about the score. It was about the way San Miguel approached the game. The team seemed slow out of the gate and struggled to find cohesion on both ends of the court. Every time the Beermen tried to mount a run, TNT answered with poise and precision, keeping the momentum firmly on their side.

“This is the Finals,” Perez said. “You can’t come out flat. We have to be ready to fight for every ball, every rebound, every possession. Tonight, we weren’t.”

The energy gap showed in the details. TNT consistently hustled for loose balls, raced down the court in transition, and contested shots with intensity. Those small but crucial efforts compounded over the course of the game, giving the Tropang G5 a commanding advantage that the Beermen struggled to counter.

Offensively, San Miguel had its chances but failed to capitalize. Shots that normally fell didn’t, and turnovers interrupted any momentum they could generate. June Mar Fajardo still produced solid numbers, but TNT’s defense limited his touches and made scoring difficult. Perez and other perimeter players found it hard to gain traction as the Tropang G5’s pressure forced hurried decisions and missed opportunities.

“It’s frustrating because we know what we’re capable of,” Perez said. “We’ve had games where we’ve played together and made things happen. Tonight, we didn’t bring that same mindset.”

Despite the blowout, Perez remained focused on the bigger picture. With the Finals now tied at 2-2, the series is still very much alive, and San Miguel has the chance to respond.

“We’ve been in tough spots before, and we’ve bounced back,” he said. “This isn’t over. What matters is how we show up in Game 5.”

Perez stressed that effort must come first. While adjustments in strategy and rotations can help, the foundation of any comeback will be intensity and focus from the very first whistle.

“We don’t need to overthink plays,” he explained. “We just need to match or exceed the energy they had tonight. That’s something we can control.”

Coach Leo Austria also echoed the message. He highlighted that Finals games often come down to which team establishes control early, and that any lapses against a confident TNT squad can be costly.

Game 4 was a statement from TNT — a demonstration that they could rebound from a previous loss and dominate when it mattered most. For San Miguel, it served as a wake-up call that talent and experience alone are not enough.

As the series heads into Game 5, the margin for error has narrowed. Every possession, every defensive stop, and every burst of energy could determine the outcome.

Perez said he understands what’s at stake and the standard the team must meet.

“This series isn’t about dwelling on what happened,” he said. “It’s about showing up and giving everything we have in the next game. That’s the only way we get back in control.”

For San Miguel, the message is clear: if they want to reclaim momentum in the Finals, effort and intensity must lead the way. Anything less could tilt the series further in TNT’s favor.