IT MAY BE the early weeks of the MPL, but the congested schedule of the league has placed Onic Philippines in a state of panic.
With losses against two juggernauts in AP.Bren and ECHO PH, and the up-and-coming RSG Philippines, there were doubts if the Hedgehogs could end their curse especially against one of the hottest teams in Season 12, Blacklist International.
As the lineups were revealed, a surprising twist took place as Coach Mark "Bluffzy" Reyes has decided to field the inexperienced John "Perkz" Sumawan.
Perkz who only played scarcely back in Season 10 with RSG Philippines, and spent last season with RSG's MDL team, was now placed in uncharted territory. Was Perkz ready to deliver in a must win pressure situation?
The scoreline said everything. While Blacklist may seem like the heavily favored team, it was Onic PH who 'broke the code,' sweeping the Codebreakers.
And in that series, Perkz took centerstage as his setups were integral for the team's success. Being a total enigma in this match, Perkz was a jack-in-the-box that shook the M3 World Champs, and he even topped his performance with his post-match celebration.
Perkz, who recently fell in love with football, decided to implement Juan Roman Riquelme's signature celebration, placing his hands behind his ears.
There was nothing personal about his celebration, he just wanted to prove his point.
"Wala po yun sa fans pati sa players, parang redemption po iyon," said the Onic PH roamer.
As to why he was determined to show his prowess? Perkz reflected on his previous spells.

Founding hope
Back when he was with RSG, Perkz can be seen scrimming as RSG.Benzema, paying tribute to Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema.
Like his idol Benzema, Perkz was overshadowed by his teammates, but unlike his footballing counterpart, the former RSG roamer was normally seen on the bench in the MPL stage.
Eventually he was demoted to RSG Ignite to further hone his skills, but his tenure there didn't last. Before the season began, RSG decided to forego with their original MDL squad and formed their partnership with Mistah Esports.
Perkz' career is now be in jeopardy. To add to the burden was the fact that he barely made a mark in the MDL scene, hampering his status.
But then came a glimmer of hope.
"Sobrang late call na po e, dalawa po kaseng tanks, tapos si Madam LA ZY po talaga parang nakita niya yung tiwala sa akin e, kahit wala akong bilang sa MDL, hindi ako ganoon kalakas, tapos naniwala siya sa sinasabi ko na kaya ko," narrated Perkz.
A reinvigorated Perkz saw this as an opportunity to prove his value in the league. Like the coach who mentored him in the MPL back in Season 10, Perkz decided to follow his footsteps...by getting a notebook.
"Ngayon lang po akong bumili ng notebook e, para mag-grind sa mga laro. Nakatulong siguro yun," he revealed.
In Season 10, Coach Brian "Panda" Lim would explain the flaws in Perkz' playstyle and the attention to detail he displayed was likewise embodied by the young starlet.
Given the treatment he received in RSG, Perkz admitted that he never had ill-feelings against his former club.
"Sa totoo lang, wala po akong na-feel na galit kase naging maayos sila sa akin. Naging motivation sa akin na kapag may nahanap akong team tapos kung umabot sa punto na makakalaban ko sila, papakita ko na may potential ako para mag-stay doon. Parang ganun."

A source of inspiration
As Perkz entered the match against Blacklist, it was finally his time to shine. As a young player, not much is expected from him especially when it comes to leadership.
But all of a sudden, it was him who delivered the battlecry for his team.
"Diba bago kami maglaro, lose streak kami? Unang beses kong maglalaro sa Season 12, ang ginawa ko noon, lahat po sila hi-nype ko pati min-otivate," he revealed.
He reiterated: "Gusto kong maramdaman sa kanila na gusto ko silang kakampi. Kaya ayun mas gigil kami, kahit talo kami sa mga scrims, alam namin na hindi yan makakaapekto [sa laban namin.]"
The fire in his eyes didn't just end with the team's losing slump as he was also driven to prove that he truly belongs in the big leagues.
"Last season kase MDL ako, tapos bale yung motivation ko, papatunayan ko sa sarili ko na hindi ako pang-MDL, tsaka sa oras na makakaupo ulit ako sa stage, gagawin ko ang lahat [para mabigay ko yung panalo]."
But there was also the added motivation of Coach Ivan "Navi" Gacho watching from the heavens, to which Perkz expressed his gratitude to his former MDL coach: "Sana proud po siya sa akin ngayon."
In the end, Perkz delivered an inspiring performance that led to Onic's 2-0 victory. What's even impressive about this win was the fact that Perkz struggled to make his name even during scrimmages.
"Siguro iba na po tingin nila (Onic) sa akin. Napatunayan ko na iba ako sa scrims. Sa scrims kase underperforming kase ako e," explained the Onic roamer.
Perhaps this could be the time where Perkz could fully blossom just like what happened to his idol Karim Benzema when Cristiano Ronaldo departed, and perhaps a new story could unfold: The Perkz of Being a Hedgehog.
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