There Are No Limits for Mark Llemit

Every team eventually reaches that point where somebody has to step forward. Not because they necessarily asked for it. Not because they suddenly decided they wanted the spotlight. But because the team needs more from them than it did before.

For the UST Growling Tigers, that reality became impossible to ignore after losing key scorers like Nic Cabañero, Forthsky Padrigao, and Kyle Parañada. Players who once created a lot of the team’s offense are no longer there to carry the same load. Naturally, everything around the Tigers had to change.

The offense looked different. The rotations felt different. Shots that used to belong to others now had to come from somewhere else.

For people outside the team, it has been easy to look at Llemit’s increased production and call it a breakout. In recent months, he has looked more comfortable taking bigger shots for UST, whether it was leading the Tigers with 21 points, nine rebounds, and three assists against Ateneo in the NSAC quarterfinals, scoring 22 against UP in the Filoil Preseason Cup, or continuing the same scoring flashes that made him stand out as a Tiger Cub years ago.

But when Llemit talks about the shift, he does not make it sound dramatic.

There is no big speech about becoming the next star. No forced declaration about taking over. For him, it has been simple: UST lost important scorers, so the players who remained had to give more.

“Lagi lang din naman yung sinasabi ng mga coaches din. Kailangan namin mag-step up kasi malaking factor na nawala sila Nic Cabañero. Lalo na sa scorers team kasi more on points din sila eh.”

In a way, this version of Llemit has been building for a while.

In UAAP Season 85, he delivered a 27-point, 11-rebound game for the Tiger Cubs to help UST secure a Final Four spot. That kind of performance said a lot about the player he could become: a wing who could score, rebound, and stay aggressive when the game needed him.

Now with the Growling Tigers, the responsibility feels heavier.

“Yun nga, kami naman as players din, sinasabihan din kami ng mga coaches na kailangan namin mag-step up. Lalo na ako, tsaka yung mga iba kong kasama.”

That kind of transition is usually harder than people realize.

Fans often focus on the obvious parts. Who scores more? Who starts more games? Who takes more shots? Who gets the highlight clip?

But inside a team, the adjustment is not just about numbers. It is also about presence. Veterans suddenly become responsible not only for their own performances, but for helping younger players deal with the mental side of college basketball.

That has become a major part of Llemit’s role too.

He and the remaining veterans constantly talk about how they can guide the younger players who are still adjusting to the UAAP environment. Because at this level, talent is rarely the only issue.

A lot of the time, confidence is.

“Lagi kami nag-uusap nung mga natira na veteran na i-guide natin yung mga bago kasi yun nga, mga rookies pa. Then kami naman, medyo may experience ng konti.”

For Llemit, guidance does not always mean giving complicated advice or trying to sound like a coach. Sometimes, it is just reminding younger players that one mistake should not ruin the rest of their game.

For rookies, one bad possession can quickly turn into hesitation. One missed shot can affect the next few minutes. One turnover can make a player stop trusting himself.

Once confidence disappears, everything else usually follows.

“Lagi lang namin sila nireremind kasi minsan yung rookies namin pag nagkakamali, parang bumababa yung moral nila. Lagi namin pinupush na tuloy lang, keep playing lang. Kasi di naman lagi perfect yung basketball.”

There is a steadiness in the way he talks, as if he already understands that growth usually comes from staying composed through mistakes, not avoiding them completely.

It also fits the way his role has grown.

Llemit has had to learn how to be ready without forcing things. He has had to become more assertive without changing who he is. There are games when UST needs his scoring. There are games when his rebounding matters more. There are also games when his responsibility is simply to keep the group steady, especially when the younger players are still figuring things out.

And maybe that is why the things he enjoys outside basketball feel so relaxed and uncomplicated.

When the conversation shifted away from basketball, Llemit casually mentioned spending time playing billiards and pickleball whenever he gets the chance. He did not get into pickleball through serious training or competition. It started because relatives in Manila wanted to play and invited him along.

“May time kasi na yung auntie ko dito sa Manila eh, parang gusto niya maglaro ng pickleball. Try-try lang din, okay naman, masaya naman.”

The way he describes it feels very consistent with his personality. No pressure. No overthinking. No need to make it bigger than it is. For him, it is simply something fun that helps him step away from basketball for a while.

“Pag wala nang ensayo, pampawala ng stress.”

Even when asked what makes the sport interesting, Llemit admitted he does not really think too deeply about the technical side of it.

“Hindi ko masyado alam kasi minsan lang ako naglalaro. Basta ako palo lang palo at nakaka-score naman.”

That answer paints a pretty funny picture.

One of UST’s growing scorers, the same player being asked to take bigger shots and help lead a younger team, approaches pickleball with the energy of someone just trying to keep the rally alive after practice.

And somehow, that makes him more relatable.

Even the way he learned pickleball reflects that casual approach.

“Yung kakilala ko dito nagtuturo kasi in-invite niya ako eh. Kasi ako naman, pag bakante ako, okay lang sa akin.”

And if basketball never became his path, Llemit already has an idea of what he probably would have pursued instead.

“Pag di ako naging basketball player, siguro takraw player ako or billiard.”

Even while stepping into a bigger role for UST, Mark Llemit still carries himself with a calmness that makes him easy to root for. He is not trying to force himself into being the face of the team overnight. He is not pretending the pressure does not exist either.

Score more when UST needs points. Guide the younger players when their confidence dips. Stay composed when the game gets messy. Keep growing into the responsibilities left behind by the players who came before him.

Keep playing. Keep learning. Keep stepping forward.

No limits.