By: Jan Marcus Montevirgen
Dex “Gohan” Mhalon’s late-game heroics propelled Magnolia to a historic victory in the Grand Finals of the PBA Esports Season 2 DOTA 2 tournament, securing their first-ever championship title with a dominant 2-0 sweep over Rain or Shine on Tuesday at the Ayala Malls Circuit Makati.
In Game 2, the Hotshots found themselves at a significant disadvantage early on, trailing 1-6 in the kill score.
However, a pivotal moment came at the 14-minute mark, when a crucial three-for-one exchange in the mid-lane shifted the momentum in Magnolia’s favor.
From there, the Team Ivory-composed squad began their remarkable comeback, slowly but surely regaining control of the game.
As the match transitioned into the late game, where buybacks became crucial, Gohan’s Morphling took center stage. He secured a double kill before ending the match at 47 minutes and 20 seconds, sealing the victory for Magnolia.
The 22-year-old carry player finished the winner-take-all Game 2 with an impressive KDA of 14 kills, three deaths, and 11 assists.
“Sobrang saya na manalo kase first-time ko rin manalo na LAN tsaka sa PBA pa naganap. Sobrang nagbunga yung lahat ng pinaghirapan namin tsaka yung araw-araw namin na scrims,” Gohan said to Tiebreaker Times after the grand finals match.
Game 1 was a one-sided affair, with Gohan once again leading the charge.
Playing as Medusa, he was a constant threat throughout the 28-minute match, delivering a flawless performance with six kills and four assists.
Magnolia’s dominance was undeniable in the opener as they allowed only a single outer tower to be destroyed in the top lane and amassed a commanding 19k gold lead by the end of the game.
Meanwhile, in an earlier match of the day, Xeats’ brilliant performance on Puck guided Northport to a third-place finish in a best-of-one series against Blackwater.
Despite an early struggle, Xeats turned the tide in his team’s favor during the 11th minute, helping Northport secure a massive 11k gold lead.
From that point, they never looked back, finishing the game in 30 minutes and 32 seconds with a dominant 37-9 kill score.
Xeats’ outstanding play earned him the match MVP award, boasting a KDA of 14 kills, one death, and 14 assists.
In addition to the championship trophy, Magnolia took home P250,000 from the P500,000 prize pool.
Rain or Shine, as first runners-up, earned P150,000, while Northport claimed P100,000 for their third-place finish.
