Junior combo guard Donte Montgomery has been red-hot for Oak Lawn, but even when his scoring inferno cools down like it did Tuesday night, there’s more to his game than that.

Usually, Montgomery torches the opposition with a precision performance from the outside. But with that avenue shut down, the 6-foot-2 standout decided to expand his reach.

“I couldn’t really make any shots,” Montgomery said afterward with a shrug. “So my main goal was just trying to help the team defensively with steals, rebounds or assists.

“When your offense isn’t there, you have to focus on defense. That is what wins games.”

It won another game for the Spartans against Chicago Christian. Montgomery offset a season-low eight points with six steals, five assists and five rebounds in a 64-28 victory.

Senior guard Corey Lee scored 14 points to lead Oak Lawn (5-0). Sophomore guard Jack Dempsey and junior guard Mustafa Abunajim added 11 points apiece.

After spending last season as an energy player off the bench, Montgomery has been a revelation. He scored a career-best 25 points in a season-opening win over Universal.

“He has made an incredible leap from last season,” Oak Lawn coach Jason Rhodes said of Montgomery, who averaged 21.5 points in the Spartans’ Thanksgiving tournament. “Even then you saw he was pretty crafty with the ball.

“But now he finishes at the rim and scores from anywhere on the court. He also anticipates and sees the floor really well. He has really good size and can score against contact at the rim.”

With his height, Montgomery is lanky and lean. His ability to read the flow of the game thoroughly destabilized the Knights, who had just five baskets in the first half.

Montgomery tallied four steals in the first quarter.

“I think my anticipation is the best part of my game,” he said. “I just go and get the ball. A lot of my offensive improvement is just coming off my experience of playing last year.”

His steals, vision and ability to read the floor and find open shooters helped unlock the Spartans’ attack. The left-handed Dempsey also hit three 3-pointers.

All three of Dempsey’s deep shots came off transition or open looks generated by Montgomery on the wing.

“We go way back — to elementary school and then middle school,” Dempsey said. “We have always had a certain chemistry and being able to play together.

“Donte always knows when to make that pass or do whatever it takes to win.”

Without an outside game, Montgomery showed the ability to improvise and get to the basket, with quickness to elude defenders and athleticism and size to score at the rim.

“I could shoot pretty well and I am very good off the bounce,” he said. “Offensively, I really do a little bit of everything. My best qualities are just getting steals, getting in the passing lane and scoring.

“Even (Tuesday), when my shot wasn’t falling, I can do other things to help the team.”

Last season as a sophomore, Montgomery flashed enough potential to mark him as a talent worth watching.

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“Confidence is such a big thing,” he said. “My dad and my coaches, they all told me to keep shooting and looking for my chances.

“I had a great game against Kenwood at the end of the year in the regional and I knew I was ready.”

In that way, Montgomery has also learned to step up in key moments and play whatever part his coaches ask of him.

He’s not going to let the opportunity slip away.

“Right after tryouts, we had a special boot camp, three straight days of practice at 6 in the morning,” he said. “Now what makes me happiest is when we win.

“Forget the points, the rebounds or the steals. My main thing is just to win.”

Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.