THINGS could have gone south for Bren in 2023.
There were questions surrounding the org's future especially with former Bren Esports CEO Bernard "Bren" Chong facing legal problems, though he was eventually cleared.
The team likewise suffered from a catastrophic loss in the MPL PH Season 11 playoffs and became the first top-seeded team to be ousted early on.
The players' mindset was also in doubt, considering the limited rest they had due to the continuous grind of participating in various tournaments worldwide.
Yet despite all of these struggles, the final outcome was already decided, 'Bren Lang Malakas.'
Looking back at Bren's journey
The members of the squad managed to win a gold medal in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia by dispatching dark horse Myanmar and eventually dominating Malaysia in the finale.
Yet, there were still some lingering doubts about the team. Given the alleged issues hounding its former CEO, will Bren still continue? Can Bren survive the grueling schedule?
Can Bren be considered a world-class team capable of competing with the highly competitive MPL PH league and teams from around the world? Or are they primarily designed to excel against less formidable opponents in the IESF who may not be part of the elite?
All of these concerns were addressed under the new leadership of Jean Alphonse "AJ" Ponce. Bren Esports became AP.Bren.
With a new banner, a different slogan emerges: 'Ang Pinalakas! Bren Lang Malakas!'
Majority of the team's members competed in the IESF in Iasi, Romania and dominated the entire event, a perfect way to avenge the Philippines' loss last year.
Pinas pa rin ang Malakas
Nevertheless, the journey ahead remains a lengthy and challenging path, as highlighted by the aftermath of their IESF victory. The team nearly missed the opening day of MPL Philippine Season 12 due to being stranded in Romania.
However, a miraculous turn of events occurred, allowing Bren members to finally return home. Despite facing challenges such as insufficient preparations for Season 12, jet lag, and minimal rest, AP.Bren entered Day One with unwavering determination.
Their victory resonated throughout the tournament, culminating in a triumphant march to the grand finals where they secured the championship trophy – a feat that had eluded them for six seasons.
Bren has successfully staged a comeback, but the task at hand is not complete, with the world championships looming on the horizon.
Onic Esports and AP.Bren, favored to meet in the finals, lived up to expectations with the Indonesians looking unstoppable following their dominance in the upper bracket finals.
Because of its accomplishments in 2023, AP.Bren is SPIN.ph's Esports Team of the Year.
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