TNC support Jomarie “Escalera” Delos Santos stressed the importance of head coach Vrendon “V” Lin in the team’s championship bid in the MPL Philippines Season Nine playoffs.
V, who was appointed as the team’s head coach before Season Nine, missed a huge chunk of the regular season after being diagnosed with Pott disease 11 days before the start of the season.
But on Friday evening, Coach V made his much-anticipated return, joining TNC in its first playoff assignment against Omega Esports in the second round.
“Sakin sobrang importante si Coach V kaya sinasama pa rin namin siya dito kasi may naitutulong po siya sa amin,” said Escalera following TNC’s 3-1 victory over Omega Esports.
“Utak naman yung gumagana, hindi paa,” he added.
According to Escalera, Coach V’s return has been a huge boost for the team.
Back in the regular season, the players, as well as assistant coach Jemson “Scholar” Ignacio were the ones working hand in hand in analyzing games. But with coach V now back to help the team, the workload became much lighter for the team.
“Nabawasan yung trabaho namin kasi nandiyan na si coach V,” bared Escalera. “Nung nag regular season kami wala siya, parang nabawasan yung nag a-analyze sa amin.
“Bale players talaga yung nagtutulungan saka si coach [Scholar] kaya nung dumating si Coach V medyo gumaan, hindi na namin kailangang gawin. Si Coach V na yung bahala,” he continued.
Escalera, who has been under coach V ever since his amateur days with ArkAngel, was just glad to finally see his long-time coach finally realize his dream of coaching in the MPL.
“Sa akin importante si Coach V kasi nakasama ko na siya sa ArkAngel, pamilya na rin yung turing ko sa kaniya tapos alam ko rin yung kwento niya, alam ko na ito yung pangarap niya yung esports kaya nung nagkasakit siya parang medyo nalungkot ako kasi malapit na niya matupad yung pangarap niya tapos doon pa siya nagkasakit,” he shared.
With the win against Omega Esports, TNC is already assured of a bronze finish – the first in franchise history – following a disastrous Season Eight campaign that saw the team miss the playoffs and end the tournament at last place.
TNC will take on the winner of the RSG PH-ONIC PH match-up in the upper bracket finals.
