Smart Omega continued its late-season resurrection with a thrilling 2-1 victory over defending champions AP.Bren in the penultimate week of MPL Philippines Season 13 on Sunday at the Shooting Gallery Studios.
Omega (3-9) improved to 10 points, just one win away from tying Blacklist International (4-7), which currently boasts 13 points.
Heading into a do-or-die Game 3, Omega managed to figure out AP.Bren’s draft approach that helped them prepare well and complete the upset.
“Alam na namin na sumeset-up na sila ng assassin pick kaya nagtanggal na kami ng dalawang assassin ni KyleTzy na Ling saka Nolan. Yung Ling kasi sobrang OP niya ngayon eh. Ang daya pagkanakapagfarm. Yung Fanny naman mas madali siyang labanan kaya yun na lang yung inopen namin,” explained coach Lemuel “Lembot” Lucban on the Game 3 draft.
“Ang comms at plano talaga ng team nung Game 3 was gawing objective yung blue buff ng Fanny. Tambayan yun kasi mas less ang impact ni Fanny pag wala siyang purple buff,” he added.
Game 1 came down to a lengthy 28th-minute skirmish that culminated in Jomari “Jowm” Pingol (Natan) picking off Kyle Angelo “KyleTzy” Sayson (Barats), giving them space to secure the 29th-minute Lord objective.
Omega wasted no time in the ensuing base turret siege, as Jayson “UKIR” Alupit’s (Faramis) Nether Realm provided them with the sustain to force a 2-0 pick-off and finish off the defending champs, 1-0.
The defending champions were not to be outdone, however, as they responded with a one-sided affair in Game 2 to force a rubber match.
Omega quickly reset in Game 3 and easily handled AP.Bren’s Fanny pick, taking the lead from the get-go until Nowee “Ryota” Macasa (Benedetta) gunned down a game-winning Maniac killing streak in the 17th minute to close out the series.
Omega’s next match is on Saturday, May 4, against TNC Pro Team.
