Six years after rising to superstardom by leading the Philippines to a gold medal on home soil, Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno once again stood at the heart of SIBOL MLBB Men’s triumph.
On his second stint with the national team, KarlTzy spearheaded SIBOL’s unbeaten run at the regional meet, culminating in a commanding 4–0 sweep of Malaysia in the finals of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.
With this victory, KarlTzy cemented his legacy, joining compatriot Angelo “Pheww” Arcangel as one of only two players to win two SEA Games gold medals and two M-series world championships. He also helped SIBOL complete a ‘four-peat’ in the SEAG.
Despite the sweep, head coach Rodel “Ar Sy” Cruz admitted that the series was far from easy, particularly after SIBOL needed a deep comeback in Game 3 to reach match point.
(C) SIBOL
“Syempre nahirapan pa rin po (laban sa Malaysia). Nakaka-overthink pa rin every single game. Siguro inabuse lang namin yung same draft namin at mas in-execute lang namin nang mas malinis,” said Cruz, who stuck with the same draft in Game 4 despite falling behind early in the previous game.
Cruz added that the gold medal carries significance beyond personal achievement, noting its broader impact on the community. “Una, mas lalawak yung pananaw nila kung paano namin nilalaro yung game na hindi lang siya basta-basta. Pangalawa, mas tataas siguro yung respeto nila sa Pilipinas,” he added.
Kiel “Oheb” Soriano shone brightly in the opener, dominating with Granger to record nine kills, nine assists, and just one death, propelling the Philippines to a 1–0 series lead.
The 21-year-old gold laner carried his blistering form into Game 2, finishing SIBOL’s swift nine-minute victory with a manic killing spree for a 10–1–1 KDA.
Game 3, however, presented a challenge. Malaysia surged ahead with a 9,200 net worth lead by the 10th minute, fueled by Ealtond “Lolealz” Rayner’s immaculate 4–0–6 performance on Esmeralda.
Yet the Filipinos showed resilience, with KarlTzy’s heroic 16th-minute Lord steal igniting a rally that culminated in a dramatic comeback victory by the 20th minute, pushing SIBOL to match point at 3–0.
In Game 4, KarlTzy’s signature Lancelot once again took center stage as SIBOL completed the sweep, sealing a historic victory for the Philippines.
