LIVING up to his name like a real-life ruler, King Gurtiza led the conquest as Emilio Aguinaldo College marched to crucial victories to revive its Final Four hopes alive in the 100th NCAA basketball tournament. After only winning three games in eight games, Gurtiza helped the Generals to two straight victories over the past week– a 97-86 triumph over San Sebastian College and a 78-70 escape of Perpetual Help – to gift his team a share of fifth place at 5-5 with Lyceum and also boosted their fighting chance for an elusive Final Four appearance.
The 6-foot cager averaged 17.5 points, 4.0 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks to be crowned as Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Player of the Week, backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, and with Discovery Suites and World Balance as minor sponsors for the period of October 8 to 13.
He bested San Beda University’s Yukien Andrada, Lyceum’s Renz Villegas, and De College of St. Benilde’s Allen Liwag to earn the nod from the scribes covering the collegiate league.
Gurtiza, who contributed a total of 21 points, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals in the Generals’ come-from-behind win against Perpetual, said that their recent triumph would gain them much-needed traction in their last hurrah bid this season.
“Sabi ni Coach [Jerson Cabiltes] sa amin, kailangan talaga ‘tong panalo kasi every game nitong second round is very crucial. So, momentum gainer siya going to our next game,” said Gurtiza. “Maraming salamat at nakuha namin ang panalo na ‘to.”
The EAC veteran said they embraced the never-back-down mentality as they completed an erasure of the Altas’ 24-point lead and expressed gratitude for his coach and teammates’ trust despite him missing some shots. He rose to the occasion and delivered much-needed conversions from beyond the arc in the payoff period to help EAC clinch its fifth win.
“’Yun nga ‘yung mentality namin na walang bibitaw hangga’t ‘di pa natatapos ‘yung game,” Gurtiza said. “Kahit lamangan kami ng ilan, nandiyan pa rin kami para humabol, magpahirap sa kalaban namin.”
“Ang dami kong tinira, ang dami ko ring sablay. Pero thankful ako sa tiwala na binibigay ni coach, ng mga teammates ko sa ‘kin. Kahit nagmi-miss ako, sa ‘kin pa rin binibigay ‘yung crucial plays so thankful ako sa tiwala na binibigay nila,” he added.
Before this, he also made his presence felt against San Sebastian last Oct. 8, listing 14 points, six assists, three rebounds, one steal, and one block.
