EAC Generals’ King Gurtiza.–NCAA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–King Gurtiza knew that the best way to lead was to do it by example.
Gurtiza’s leadership was on full display Sunday, powering Emilio Aguinaldo College to a thrilling win over Lyceum in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament.
With the Generals trailing by two down the stretch, Gurtiza ended the game on a personal 5-0 run capped by two pressure-packed free throws to close out the Pirates, 90-88.
“I told myself, ‘I practice this,’ so I was confident that I would make those free throws,” said Gurtiza, whose endgame heroics helped EAC salvage a win after squandering an 18-point advantage.
READ: NCAA: EAC squeaks past Lyceum, Mapua grabs share of No. 2
Gurtiza did just that as he showed nerves of steel and drained a pair of freebies to win it for EAC with 6.7 seconds left after being fouled while attempting a three-point shot.
“When I see my teammates relax during our preparations, I show them that we have to go hard. I tell them that even when we prepare, we need to go hard because teams will treat us differently,” he said.
“We need to match these teams’ energies and I have to show them what kind of energy is needed.”
Locked in even before tip-off, Gurtiza finished with 21 points, five rebounds and five assists in 30 minutes of action as the Generals improved to 3-4.
READ: EAC beats San Beda for the first time since joining NCAA
Aside from his offensive exploits, Gurtiza was also pleased with his efforts on the other end of the floor.
“I just work and I start on defense,” he said.
“I embrace the role given to me which is to guard the star players on the other team. That’s where I get my confidence. When I get a stop, I get more motivated.”