By: George Torno
MPL Philippines Season 16 will be remembered as the season of Jaypee “Jaypee” Dela Cruz.
Not only did he secure his second consecutive title and fifth overall, but he also earned his first-ever Finals MVP award.
Amid the shower of accolades at the conclusion of the season, the Team Liquid PH roamer admitted to feeling overwhelmed after capping off an unforgettable run by making history as the first roamer to claim the Finals MVP.
“Sobrang happy kasi nakuha namin ‘yung championship — sobrang hirap kalaban ng Aurora. Hindi ko rin inexpect na mag-Finals MVP pa. Sobrang happy ako sa naging performance ko,” Jaypee said with a smile, holding his Finals MVP trophy.
With the victory, Jaypee also preserved his undefeated record in grand finals, which began when he led Sunsparks to back-to-back titles in Seasons 4 and 5 against the V33Wise-led ONIC Philippines.
(C) MPL PH
His third title came in Season 13 with Team Liquid, followed by another back-to-back run in Seasons 15 and 16.
“Sobrang saya kasi magkaibang role ako nakapag-championship tapos parehas back-to-back pa, grabe na,” Jaypee said, recalling his time as the hypercarry during the Sunsparks dynasty.
The 27-year-old roamer added that he never expected to secure another back-to-back championship, noting that their previous encounters with Aurora had all ended in defeat.
“Sobrang hirap maging kaharap ang Aurora, di pa kami manalo-nalo sa kanila tapos ngayon nakabawi sa finals pa,” he said.
He also emphasized that despite having the championship within reach going into Game 4 at match point, he stayed focused and held off celebrations until the team closed out the final game.
“Nag-focus lang talaga kami sa gameplay namin. Hindi ko rin talaga inexpect na makakapag-back-to-back kami kasi ang lakas din ng ibang teams ngayong season — hindi lang Aurora, lahat talaga pinahirapan kami,” he added.
Jaypee now has a chance to further etch his name in MLBB history as he eyes a second M-series title at the M7 World Championship in January.
