With the coveted twice-to-beat bonus up for grabs, Arellano University is gearing up for a war when it takes on no less than defending champion Mapua University on Friday.
But a win alone won’t suffice for the Chiefs.
Arellano must beat Mapua by at least four points to clinch a top-two spot, as the Cardinals hold the edge from their first meeting with an 83-80 victory.
And the Chiefs are ready to go all out to secure the playoff bonus, which could be of huge value in the crossover quarterfinals where they could face either Colegio de San Juan de Letran or De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
"‘Yung three straight wins namin sobrang laking boost sa morale kasi nagpe-peak din kami sa right time kasi sobrang kailangan namin ‘yung panalo sa Friday," Maverick Vinoya told GMA News Online on Wednesday.
All eyes will be on T-Mc Ongotan, who has been the heart and sould of the Chiefs this year.
The fourth-year guard has been key in Arellano’s last three victories, scoring 20-plus points in each game to fuel the Chiefs' resurgence.
Their three-game streak started with a 78-71 win against San Sebastian College-Recoletos, where Ongoan dropped 25 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. He then posted 22 markers, four boards, and two dimes in a 70-69 upset over league-leading University of Perpetual Help System DALTA.
In another high-stake game, Ongotan fronted Arellano's attack by erupting 24 points and 10 rebounds against Lyceum of the Philippines University on Wednesday as the Chiefs remained on track for a top-two finish.
"Ginagawa ko lang kung ano ‘yung pinapagawa sa akin ni coach and kailangan talaga na makuha namin ‘yung mga panalo ngayon lalo na sa next game namin," Ongotan said.
But Ongotan knows that toppling Mapua won’t be easy, especially with team captain Clint Escamis and the rest of the Cardinals gradually regaining their championship form.
"Bukas sa training, kung ano ‘yung papagawa sa akin ni caoch ay gagawin ko lang sa game. ‘Yung ginawa ko ngayon, dodoblehin ko sa Friday. Ready naman ako," Ongotan added.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
