THE BATTLE of the two world champions was a much-awaited spectacle in the national team qualifiers. However, it was the defending world champions Blacklist International that prevailed as they grinded their way to a 2-1 victory over the M2 world champions Bren Esports.
Amid the absence of Edward “Edward” Jay Dapadap and Kiel “OHEB” Soriano, the Codebreakers looked sharp as they survived the shock tactics deployed by the revamped Bren Esports roster through their signature ‘UBE’ strat timings as well as some important tactical decisions.
Denying the Ruby pick gave Blacklist the keys to victory
It was evident from the start that Bren opted for a shock-and-awe strategy with their Ruby combo. Vincent “Joy Boy” De Guzman led the charge as his ult created opportunities for his teammates to unleash a barrage of abilities.
In Game 1, he had the support from two lethal damage dealers in Kennth “Saxa” Fedelin’s Lancelot and Kevzuunomoto’s Claude. They even had the follow-up from Angelo Kyle “Pheww” Arcangel’s Selena to provide additional crowd control.
In Game 2, they executed a similar pattern but with a few changes as they went for the Paquito and Brody combo with the Gloo serving as the disruptor, forcing the Codebreakers to yield.
Eventually, Blacklist was forced to ban the hero in Game 3 to counter De Guzman’s mastery of the hero.
More options for the Codebreakers
Though denying the Ruby led to Blacklist’s momentous victory, they also have to commend their diversified hero pool.
Johnmar “OhMyV33nus” Villaluna’s signature Estes took the spotlight as he properly executed his Blessing of the Moon Goddess ability to keep his team alive in Game 1, but his unusual Lolita pick in Game 3 should also be lauded.
Though there were no highlight-worthy plays from the Blacklist shotcaller, his Lolita was crucial in forcing Bren to waste their abilities, allowing Danerie James “Wise” Del Rosario to jump forward with his Aldous if needed.
But it’s not just V33nus’ Lolita that deserved some praise, as their Gloo from Kyle Dominic “Dominic” Soto also delivered a noteworthy performance. His ability to zone out key threats gave Wise the confidence to burst his way forward, plus it also gave Lee Howard “Owl” Gonzales the room to poke his foes with his Brody.
Blacklist’s victory has placed them on the upper bracket, where they’ll be facing Nexplay EVOS in the next round, while Bren will face El Ganador Esports in the lower bracket of the Sibol Qualifiers.
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