For the third time in the last five years, Duane “Kelra” Pillas has once again reached the top four of the MLBB Mid Season Cup.
What makes this 2025 campaign even more special is the potential for the first all-Filipino grand finals since the M4 World Championship over two years ago — if both ONIC Philippines and Team Liquid PH can clear their respective semifinal hurdles.
But while the hype continues to build around a possible all-Pinoy finale, Kelra remains laser-focused on the present, taking it one game at a time.
“Di ko pa iniisip yung finals ngayon. Ine-enjoy ko muna yung moment. Kailangan muna namin manalo sa SRG bago ko isipin yung sa finals,” he told Tiebreaker Times in an exclusive interview, just moments after ONIC Philippines survived a grueling quarterfinal series against Team Spirit.
“Pero masaya ako kasi may chance ako makabalik,” added Kelra, referring to a potential return to the MSC grand finals — something he last experienced during his rookie year with Execration.
Heading into the quarterfinals, ONIC PH faced no shortage of doubts. After a shaky group stage campaign — including a surprising loss to Aurora Türkiye in their opening match — they dropped to the lower bracket, forcing them into a tougher path.
Analysts even favored Team Spirit, pointing to ONIC’s inconsistent MSC run, a stark contrast to their dominant performance in the M6 World Championship just half a year ago.
But when it mattered most, Kelra turned back the clock with a vintage showing. He stepped up as ONIC’s closer, especially in the pivotal Game 3 that stretched to an intense 29-minute slugfest.
In the match’s climactic sequence, Kelra and support Borris “Brusko” Parro found themselves on the defensive end of a 3-vs-2 situation. Against the odds, the 20-year-old gold laner displayed his trademark poise and mechanical sharpness to clutch a double kill, pushing ONIC to match point.
“Yung tumatakbo lang sa isip ko non maging kalmado tsaka kailangan ko isipin kung ano yung pinakamagandang magagawa ko para sa team. Fight. Ayun lang yung laging iniisip ko,” said Kelra, reflecting on the nerve-wracking team fight — where even the smallest misstep in positioning could’ve swung the game to Team Spirit’s favor.
With Kelra rediscovering his deadly form just in time for the semifinals, ONIC PH’s dream of returning to the MSC grand stage is alive and well — and perhaps, a dream all-Filipino showdown is closer than ever.
