TWO OF the top seeded teams in the 8th Season went head-to-head in Day 3 of Week 3 of the MPL Philippines. Prior to their matchup, both teams led the league by accumulating 12 points, but Blacklist International has the upper hand in the league standings given their unblemished record.
It was an undefeated streak that went on the line in the Sunday evening showdown against Onic PH.
While most teams would ban Blacklist’s signature Estes pick, Onic made the bold move of allowing the codebreakers to select their signature hero in Game 1.
Initially, this looked to be a major mistake, as Onic had a difficult time securing kills in the early game in what was looking to be a Blacklist stomp. However, Onic made crucial plays in the 20th minute to turn the game around. Mark Christian “Markyyyyy” Ectobanez was able to burst down Kiel Calvin “OHEB” Soriano, and Onic was able to secure an important kill on Johnmar “OhMyV33nus” Villaluna, leading to their final charge.
A minute later, Blacklist concentrated on protecting Danerie James “Wise” Del Rosario from Gerald “Dlarskie” Trinchera’s barrage, but they ignored Onic’s split push inhibitor destruction, giving the victory to Onic PH in Game 1.
The same situation occurred in Game 2 as Blacklist was once again given the opportunity to select Estes. They even had the early lead courtesy of their counterattacking strategy led by OhMyV33nus, OHEB, and Wise, as well as denying Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol’s Fanny any opportunity of getting the purple buff.
Ultimately, however, it was a Game 2 victory for the codebreakers, while the do-or-die Game 3 matchup became a one sided stomp in favor of Blacklist International as their opponents struggled to deal with their sustainability. Onic tried to go for the ejector play led by Paul Ian “Beemo” Sergio, but the healing factor from OhMyV33nus’ signature Estes and the added sustain and mobility from OHEB’s Harith denied their setups.
As Blacklist was given the free reins to select their key heroes, OHEB expressed his thoughts on Onic’s decisions. He initially highlighted his Harith in Game 3.
“Nakangiti kami kase akala nila Alice lang alam ko, pero marami akong kayang gamitin eh. Mas gamay ko si Harith, pero mas pinipili ni Coach si Alice,” said Soriano.
He then proceeded to discuss Onic's decision to let Blacklist play Estes.
“Natikman nila kung gaano kasarap yung UBE strat!”
Omega Esports regains their momentum, sweeps TNC
Desperate to bounce back after suffering a painful defeat against Bren Esports, Omega entered the series against TNC with a mission to ascend from their 7th place standing.
They ended up dominating their up-and-coming rivals, as TNC were left scrambling against the double K connection of Kiel VJ “Kielvj” Hernandez and Duane “Kelra” Pillas.
RSG once again slays Bren Esports
In their previous matchup, RSG surprisingly prevailed over Bren Esports in a heated 3-game battle. The same outcome occurred in their recent encounter as Bren succumbed to the explosive dynamic duo of Joshwell Christian “Iy4knu” Manaog and Jonard Cedric “Demonkite” Caranto.
Though the newly formed squad was able to win over the World Champions, their performances revealed the team’s inconsistency in finishing their matches. RSG could’ve gotten a 2-0 sweep, if it weren’t for a hiccup in the 15th minute. The same issue happened in the 3rd Game, where RSG nearly fell in the 10th minute clash. They were able to salvage the game through a crucial play in the 14th minute.