[EDITORS' NOTE: This is the second of our yearend series as we roll out the 10th batch of SPIN.ph wardees, from the Sports Heroes of the Year to our 2022 Sportsman of the Year]
THE year 2021 saw the Blacklist dynasty reign supreme, thanks to the efforts of the Royal Duo, Johnmar "OhMyV33nus" Villaluna and Danerie James "Wise" Del Rosario.
But after all their years of grinding for the coveted MLBB trophies, the duo decided to take a break, leaving fans wondering if Blacklist International could carry on the legacy without their two major players.
Unfortunately for the Codebreakers, reality struck as Season 9 of the MPL Philippines proved to be a tumultous period as Blacklist failed to reach the playoffs.
The dynamic duo was sorely missed and this was further emphasized in the Southeast Asian Games, where Blacklist once again took centerstage with its run to the gold medal. Despite the absence of Edward "Edward" Jay Dapadap and Kiel "Oheb" Soriano due to age restrictions, the Royal Duo served as an inspiration for our esports representatives.
It didn't matter that Kyle Dominic "Dominic" Soto and Lee Howard "Owl" Gonzales lacked the experience that Edward and Oheb had. With the guidance of the Royal Duo, both were able to gain the confidence they needed to compete against the best that Southeast Asia had to offer.
Breaking the code
Not even the all-star lineup of Indonesia could stop them, as "breaking the code" proved to be too much for them.
But it wasn't just in the Southeast Asian Games where the Royal Duo made their statement as their return in Season 10 was the catalyst for the team to fulfill Coach Kristoffer "BON CHAN" Ricaplaza's redemption arc.
During the regular season, V33nus had a major role as her shotcalling and leadership brought the team to the top place finish amid the intense competition they experienced.
And she even made the most crucial plays which reached a different level in the grand finals against ECHO Philippines.
Plus to compliment her skillset was Wise, who broke the game with his unorthodox hero picks. Who would've thought that Guinevere, Fredrinn, and Valentina can be used a jungle heroes?
However his contributions aren't just limited to his playstyle. Many would argue that V33nus is the brains behind the team, but from behind the scenes, it was revealed that Wise is also a brilliant tactical mind. This was emphasized in the grand finals, when Wise mentioned that Edward's Benedetta pick should be prioritized.
To quote V33nus: "For me one of the biggest reason kung bakit kami naka-comeback noong game number 4 is yung isang bagay na si Wise lang ang nakakita. Even ako or yung ibang players, even yung mga analysts and coaches namin may hindi nakita na bagay na iyon and ayun yung sinabi ni Wise na, ‘I-high pick natin yung Benedetta and then i-sacrifice natin yung hero ko,'" said the Blacklist shotcaller."
[READ: Goldwin Monteverde is SPIN.ph Coach of the Year]
And the tactic paid dividends as Blacklist was able to bounce back from a 2-1 deficit to become champions in Season 10 - the third MPL championship the team garnered, all attribute to the Royal Duo's growing legacy.
Due to their dominance, the duo became part of the Hall of Legends and given their overall accolades in 2022, which included a gold medal finish, an MPL Championship, a Hall of Legends induction, and a silver medal in the IESF, one can never deny their role in esports in 2022, hence earning them the Esports Athletes of the Year awards.
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