THE PRESENCE OF Kiel “Oheb” Soriano in Team Liquid Philippines felt like a breath of fresh air, from the hilarious moments with his “Babycakes” duo Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno, to giving birth to the season’s most unforgettable meme, “Wala nga akong pera!”
But it almost never happened if Team Liquid PH did not take a chance on him.
Oheb explored new horizons after a four-year stint with Blacklist International, and timing could not be more perfect when Team Liquid PH needed a gold laner to fill in the spot left by Benedict “Bennyqt” Gonzales.
“We posted tryouts; naghahanap kami ng gold laner. Eventually, si Oheb patapos na yung contract niya. This is actually his first team outside his comfort zone. Matagal na siya sa Blacklist for how many years,” Team Liquid PH Head of Esports Mitch Liwanag said in an exclusive with SPIN.ph.
“Nag-tryout siya tapos sabi niya, ‘Gustong-gusto niya sumali.’ However, may contract pa siya sa Blacklist. Sobrang bait ng Blacklist, they gave us Oheb with no buyout,” she added.
Sugal natin ito!
In case you missed it, Blacklist International also sold its MPL PH franchise slot last February, which left many fans heartbroken, but little did Oheb know that it would also lead to another defining chapter in his career.
Oheb, then a 3x MPL titleholder and an M3 world champion, has proved his capability over the years to assume the marksman role for Team Liquid PH. However, Mitch Liwanag initially had second thoughts about bringing him on board.
“We saw the potential in him. Ang nag-refer sa kanya sa akin sina Sanford and Jaypee. Sabi nila malakas itong batang ito, and then sabi ko, 'Teka, background check muna,' Liwanag recalled, turning out that Jaypee “Jaypee” Dela Cruz and Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya who believed in Oheb.
“Maraming bad or negative comments about him. Sabi ko, 'Sugal natin ito si Oheb baka hindi naman totoo,” she added.
Oheb's maturity and presence
Given a new start in his pro career, Oheb promised to leave his past behind and prove he's more than what people assumed of him.
“Noong pumasok si Kiel sa amin, he said one thing to me, ‘Iiwanan niya yung immaturity niya, and nagkatotoo naman. Sobrang matured ni Kiel dito sa TLPH, kakaibang Kiel nga e. Sabi ko, ‘Bakit ka pino-portray na bad boy ka when he is one of the kindest and the most respectable people I’ve ever met?,” Liwanag expressed.
Oheb may be painted as a bad boy or troublemaker, but his gentle and hilarious personality always shines bright, and many tend not to see it.
“Noong nag-tryout siya sa amin, ang gaan ng aura niya. Sobrang ganda ng performance niya during the tryouts; wala kaming talo. Sobrang masayahin. Even if nakikinig ako sa scrims nila, mga kalokohan yung naririnig ko sa kanila, but more on joking. Parang na-uplift niya yung mood ng team,” she added.
The best teammate
Though Team Liquid PH influenced Oheb’s growth, he returned the favor with his positive presence and infectious joy.
“I would like to give Kiel the credit. Thank you for trusting us. Sobrang laki ng binago ng team kasi Kiel is one of our emotional leaders sa team. Wala siyang masamang tinapay.” Liwanag pointed out, applauding Oheb’s emotional maturity.
Growth is a deep and personal journey, but Oheb didn't walk all alone.
“Kanina noong Game 7, noong championship, sinasabi ko sa utak ko, gusto kong mag-champion kasama mga teammates ko ngayon kase grabe yung character development ko dahil sa kanila. Noong pagpasok ko, sobrang tinutulungan nila ako para mag-improve ako both outside and inside the game,” Oheb told in an interview with the press.
Oheb is known for his straightforward attitude, and this allows him to embrace accountability and to accept constructive criticism from his trusted teammates.
“Sa inside the game, mas gusto kong sinasabi ko yung pagkakamali ko kaysa sa hindi sinasabi ng mga team. Kaya lagi kong sinasabi sa kanila, sabihin niyo na lang kung saan ako nagkukulang,” Oheb explained.
“Sa outside naman, si Ford lagi akong pinapakalma kapag medyo mainit yung ulo ko sa scrim. Thank you din kay Ford kasi lagi akong sinasabihan niyan,” he added.
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