In the first round of the NCAA Season 99 Seniors Basketball Tournament, King Gurtiza has carved an impressive redemption arc for his time at Emilio Aguinaldo College.
Gurtiza was the topic of much controversy for the Generals last season.
With the Generals at the bottom of the standings, going 0-9 in the first round, their staff announced the suspension of Gurtiza and Ralph Robin for the rest of the season after the two committed team violations.
The Generals finished Season 98 with a horrid 3-15 record and the last place in the standings.
After their 79-76 win over Arellano University to go up 4-2, the Generals have already surpassed their previous win total, and Gurtiza has been one of the key players leading the pack.
“Palagi kong sinasabi dati na noong tinawagan ako nina coach na bumalik ako, it’s a redemption season para sa amin ni Robin, personal talaga. Si Ralph unang pinabalik, tapos ako ang tinawagan, nag-usap kami ni coach. Sobrang blessing talaga ‘yung nangyari sa amin. May plano siguro si God nung hindi kami pinatapos ng last season, at ngayon bumalik kami with new coaches, new management,” said Gurtiza, who is now in his senior year.
“Sobrang sarap sa pakiramdam, pinagusapan namin ni Ralph, pare linagpasan na natin ‘yung wins natin noong last season. Eh hindi namin naranasan ‘yung panalo last season kasi natanggal kami, nasuspend kami ng coach namin.”
Gurtiza is the third leading scorer for the Generals this season, averaging 13.5 points, 5.33 rebounds, and 2.17 assists a game.
Despite his excellent offensive stats though, what continues to impress coach Jerson Cabiltes is not just his ability to score in the clutch, but the heart he plays with on both ends of the court.
Cabiltes went as far as comparing Gurtiza to another guard of his who pours his heart out every time he steps on the hardwood: Mike Juico, a former guard from San Sebastian College-Recoletos who played for Cabiltes in the MPBL on his Nueva Ecija squad.
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“Both of them play good defense, on the ball, and they crash the boards, they go for rebounds. The only difference is shooting; King is more of a shooter, but Mike can shoot too,” explained Cabiltes.
“With the heart that they show every game, the similarities are there.”
Gurtiza was nearly speechless when he heard about his coach’s comparison, stating that Juico was one of the people he looked up to.
“Grabe, si Kuya Mike idol ko talaga ‘yon. Grabe ‘yung puso nun sa laro. Hindi ko ma-explain, thank you kay coach Jerson na na-compare niya ako doon.”
Cabiltes shared that the energy Gurtiza plays with, along with a stamp of approval from Harvey Pagsanjan, was ultimately the difference-maker in their decision to bring him back for season 99 despite his previous controversies.
(C) Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards
“Yung mga coaches diyan at yung management namin sinabi sa akin na si King was out last year at si Robin, I asked around, sabi ko magaling ba? I don’t know him. Tinanong ko si Harvey Pagsanjan, ang sabi sa akin ni Harvey naman coach, magaling yan, puwede yan. Sabi ko sa assistant coaches sa mancom namin pabalikin niyo, kung gusto niya maglaro sa akin pabalikin niyo. Sila kumausap first, and then nung ako kumausap sabi ko bumalik,” he shared about Pagsanjan who will have a one-and-done stint with the Generals next season.
“Alam naman niya kung ano yung mga type of players na gusto ko, defense, all heart, offense nandoon lahat. Definitely all my players nabuo ang loob, at talagang buong puso naglalaro.”
