IN THEIR previous encounter with Omega Esports, Onic PH was deluged with comments from haters and critics.
But with their dominant 3-0 sweep over the SEA powerhouse in the upper bracket finals, Onic PH has finally placed a dagger to the hearts of their skeptics.
There was no “pause strat” or a random bug — it was just Onic going bonkers on their foes, evident in the first two games of the series.
Omega vs. Onic playoffs recap
Initially it seemed Omega and Onic would grind their way back-and-forth, given the tight knit affair in the early stages of the game. But Onic had a masterplan in the latter stages of every teamfight.
Paul Ian “Beemo” Sergio’s Akai was crucial in shutting down one member from Omega which limited their teamfight presence in Game 1. His Hurricane Dance ultimate was used in chokepoints which in turn synergized with the team’s main damage dealers.
And Onic’s ability to zone out their foes came into play in Game 2, where the SEA kings tried to luck to hunt down Allen “Baloyskie” Baloy through their mobility.
But sneaking behind their backs was Mark “Markyyyyy” Ectobanez who unleashed his Feathered Airstrike ability inside bushes, surprising the SEA juggernauts who were also caught in a crossfire against Gerald “Dlarskie” Trinchera and Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol's sudden entrances.
Onic’s zonal presence forced Omega to react in Game 3 with a strong counterattacking lineup featuring Patrick James “E2MAX” Caidic’s Yve and Renz Errol “Renzio” Cadua’s Ruby. Initially, it looked effective as they were able to limit Kairi’s entrances in the early game.
Plus, it didn’t help that Onic were left scrambling to gain a foothold in every teamfight as Baloyskie’s Pharsa was left on the death count, courtesy of Duane “Kelra” Pillas and Dean Christian “Raizen” Samagui.
But then Dlarskie’s Uranus went online, and Omega faced a huge new dilemma. With no solution to his Uranus, Onic was able to get the momentum needed to secure a surprising 3-0 sweep over their rivals, relegating Omega to the lower bracket finals.
Onic guaranteed second place, will face winner of Blacklist-Omega match tomorrow
A key reason for their come-from-behind Game 3 win was revealed by Kairi in the post-match interview.
“Yung Game 3 namin kahit lugi kami noong una hindi kami sumuko. Nagtulong-tulungan kaming lahat para iaangat namin ang isa’t isa,” he said.
Through their grit and determination to finally silence their critics, Onic was able to attain their Grand Finals berth which last happened in Season 5. They will face the winner of the lower bracket finals match between Omega Esports and Blacklist International.
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