T-Mc Ongotan is giving Arellano University the kind of production expected from a senior guard carrying an unbeaten team.
His scoring ability is the most obvious part of his arsenal, but the Chiefs are beginning to see a more complete version of their go-to guard.
Ongotan put together the best game of his collegiate career on Monday, pouring in 29 points to go with 12 rebounds, two assists, three steals and three blocks as Arellano edged Letran Knights, 82-81.
The career night came against last season's runner-up and one of the league's top contenders, giving the Chiefs another close-game test before they cross over to Group A, also known as the "Group of Death."
"I'm just doing whatever I can to help, especially since they're guarding me tightly," Ongotan said after the win against Letran.
"I'm just helping my team even when I don't have the ball."
That willingness to contribute beyond scoring has become an important part of Ongotan's game as Arellano finds itself at the top of the league.
The 23-year-old Sorsogon native is averaging 22.8 points on 48.4% shooting, along with 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.3 steals through four games.
His production has made him one of the Chiefs' primary offensive weapons, but his activity on the glass and on the defensive end has given the team another layer to rely on.
"I felt like I couldn't score, so I just relied on what my coach knows me for -- my rebounding and my steals," Ongotan said.
That development is particularly notable considering where Ongotan and the Chiefs were only a few months ago.
The Arellano guard entered his senior year with a hamstring injury that kept him out for much of the 19th FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup.
Ongotan returned to full training about a week and a half before the Chiefs opened their Season 102 campaign against San Sebastian College-Recoletos.
Arellano had stumbled to a 1-8 record in the preseason, leaving plenty of questions about how they would fare once the mother league began.
But the questions, doubts, and uncertainties have all disappeared quickly.
The Chiefs have swept Group B in the first round of eliminations and hope to carry the momentum as they face opponents in the other bracket, including the defending champion, San Beda University, and preseason favorite, Jose Rizal University.
Four games into the season, the Chiefs are the only undefeated team in the NCAA.
For head coach Chico Manabat, the turnaround is the result of the lessons his team took from its difficult preseason.
"I think that's the fruit of our labor from everything that happened during the preseason," Manabat said.
"There were a lot of lessons to learn and things we needed to improve on. The maturity really came from the failures we experienced."
Ongotan has been at the center of that growth, but he has also made sure the Chiefs do not become over-reliant on him.
Despite averaging more than 20 points per game, the senior guard continues to put his trust in his teammates.
"It's not just me," Ongotan said.
"All of us are superstars in our own way. I trust my teammates because I know they support me during crucial games. Now that we're complete, I trust that even if I can't score, they'll be there to help me."
That confidence has allowed Ongotan to embrace a larger role, and it is also a part of why Manabat sees the senior guard as the product of the culture Arellano is trying to build.
"For me, T-Mc is unique," Manabat said.
"He's going to be a product of Arellano who plays with a fighting spirit."
Still, Manabat knows the Chiefs' unbeaten start is only the beginning of a tougher journey ahead.
"We just have to get back to work," he said.
"We'll see how we fare when we cross over to the other group. I think that's where we'll be tested even more."