Echo picked up from where they left off as they once again dominated Blacklist International, 2-0, to open the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 11 on Friday.
The Orcas asserted their mastery of Blacklist, coming off a 4-0 sweep during last month’s M4 World Championship grand finals.
It wasn’t all a walk in the park though as Echo was made to sweat in Game 2 where Blacklist pushed them to the brink before sealing the deal late in the game.
“May part talaga na nag-overcommit sila. Una is yung high risk ni Benny kaso di lang nakapasok tapos yung back door dapat pero di rin nakapasok. Nag-overcommit talaga sila,” explained Echo head coach Harold “Tictac” Reyes on how Blacklist came alive in Game 2 after controlling the midgame.
After scoring first blood in the 3rd minute of Game 1, Echo stepped on the gas and took kill after kill culminating in a Fatal Links set-up from Tristan “Yawi” Cabrera (Atlas) during a 7th-minute midlane ambush that Benedict “Bennyqt” Gonzales (Beatrix) capped off with a double kill to command control of the match.
Echo needed just 11 minutes to finally take the opener on the back of Bennyqt’s 8-0-5 KDA.
In Game 2, the Codebreakers fought with urgency, taking a slim 1k lead in the early game courtesy of a 5-3 kill lead but Bennyqt (Brody) carried Echo on his shoulders during a 9th-minute lord fight to take a 4-0 wipe.
The reigning M4 MVP almost pulled off Echo’s signature split push strategy in the 16th minute but Blacklist managed to arrive just in time for the base turret defense and score their own wipeout to secure the enhanced lord and notch a massive net worth reversal to lead by 3k on the tally.
With Blacklist in control, Echo had to clutch a 24th-minute lord fight to put away the defending MPL PH champions via a 5-1 wipeout and complete the sweep.
Despite being the defending world champions, Coach Tictac keeps their feet on the ground as they try to finally get the MPL PH trophy in Season 11.
“One step at a time lang kami. Target namin ngayon makapunta lang ng playoffs then next is championship.”
