Ongotan and Arellano Prove They Belong at the Top
Entering the tournament, hardly anyone pegged Arellano University to be dictating the pace of the season. For years, the Chiefs fought from the middle of the pack, often flying under the radar while heavyweights grabbed the spotlight.
This year, they are writing a completely different story.
Following a hard-fought 82-81 victory over powerhouse Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Arellano finds itself in unfamiliar territory: sitting alone as the only undefeated team left in the NCAA with a 4-0 record.
This start is not just early-season luck. What Arellano is showing on the court is the direct result of a tough preseason grind and painful lessons from years of falling short. Against a seasoned team like Letran, the Chiefs showed real poise down the stretch—winning the game through offensive rebounds, loose-ball hustle, and crucial defensive stops in the final seconds.
“Siguro ‘yung fruit of our labor sa mga nangyari doon sa preseason, mga lessons to learn at mga in-improve namin,” head coach Chico Manabat explained.
“And of course, ‘yung maturity, nangyari na rin ‘yun dahil sa mga failures namin for the past season. Evident din na ‘yung mga bata, ‘yung composure nila, togetherness, ‘yung gusto nilang manalo. ‘Yung will to win, ‘yun ang nangyari.”
Nobody reflects that growth better than T-Mc Ongotan.
The graduating guard has been on a tear, taking home NCAA Player of the Week honors in the second week with solid averages of 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.5 steals. Against the Knights, he took it up another notch by exploding for a career-high 29 points, 12 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks.
Now, the challenge shifts. Being the lone unbeaten squad means Arellano will no longer sneak up on anyone. The target on their backs is clearly there, especially with crossover games against the opposing group coming up next.
Still, Ongotan is confident that the Chiefs’ early success goes way beyond his own scoring outbursts.
“Yung consistency namin. Siyempre, hindi naman ako lang, lahat kami super confident sa kanya-kanya naming ability,” Ongotan said.
“Tiwala lang ako sa mga teammates ko kasi alam ko naman na sinusuportahan nila ako sa mga crucial game. Ngayon, sobrang buo namin. Nagtitiwala talaga ako na kahit hindi ako mag-score, nandiyan sila para tulungan ako.”
Arellano still has a long road ahead, and tougher tests will surely come during the crossover round. But with a mature mindset and an identity anchored on grit rather than flash, the Chiefs have earned their spot at the table and shown they can no longer be taken lightly.
