By: Jan Marcus Montevirgen
Facing Team Liquid Philippines for the second time in the MPL Philippines Season 14, Aurora once again emerged victorious with a dominant two-game sweep on Friday.
During the post-match interview, Aurora head coach Aniel “Master the Basics” Jiandani pointed out that Team Liquid’s recent roster changes significantly impacted their performance.
He explained that the continuity in Aurora’s lineup gave them an edge over their opponents.
“I think yun yung naging advantage namin kasi hindi kami nagpalit ng team. Unlike sa kanila na pinalitan nila sa Karl. Then noong nag-work si Zaida ng isang beses, ‘tas natalo sila ulit, binalik nila si Karl,” Master the Basics said.
He further elaborated on the difficulties Team Liquid faced, drawing from his own experience with Blacklist International.
“Tingin ko kasi since galing ako sa Blacklist, mahirap talaga kapag yung player nawawalan ng momentum. Nawawalan sila ng time kasi kukulangin sila ng practice. Kaya yun yung siguro naging advantage namin kaya medyo nahirapan sila,” he continued.
Aurora’s star player Jonard “Demonkite” Caranto echoed his coach’s thoughts, attributing their victory to solid teamwork, effective execution, and strategic drafting. He acknowledged that the roster shuffle on Team Liquid’s side may have hindered their performance.
“Medyo [same ng thoughts ni coach] pero yung pinaka-factor talaga sa game talaga [is] yung draft tsaka yung naging execution namin. Feeling ko naging better team lang talaga kami. Tsaka medyo nag-struggle lang sila ng konti dahil sa changes,” Demonkite said in an exclusive interview with Tiebreaker Times.
Demonkite also praised his team’s dedication to constant improvement. He shared that Aurora’s commitment to discussing strategies even during free time contributed to their success, making them one of the top teams this season.
This relentless drive to win, according to Demonkite, has made it difficult for opponents to anticipate their gameplay in the arena.
As the regular season nears its conclusion, Aurora sits on the brink of securing a playoff berth. They need just one more victory, either in their upcoming match against TNC Pro Team on September 27, or by relying on a favorable result from RSG Philippines’ game against Blacklist International on Saturday.
“Feeling ko maging stable lang kami. Wag maging kampante tsaka lagi lang kami dapat manggigil sa mga kalaban namin para lahat ng games namin mai-panalo. ‘Wag lang namin ibaba yung guard namin,” Demonkite concluded.
