PUTRAJAYA – Team Vamos gold laner Kenneth “Nets” Barro was nothing but grateful after an eventful year that saw his career progress following his transfer to MPL Malaysia.
Nets and his Malaysian squad recently bowed out of the M6 World Championship following a tough 3-1 loss to Team Spirit in the opening round of the lower bracket knockout stage last Tuesday at the IOI Grand Exhibition & Convention Center here.
Despite the defeat, the Filipino gold laner remained grateful for all he had achieved throughout the year since making the bold leap from the MPL Philippines to the MPL Malaysia.
“Super saya kasi sa PH hindi naman ako nakaabot sa ganito e. Mas nakaabot ako nu’ng nag-MY ako e,” Nets told Filipino reporters after the match.
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He began his professional journey in the MPL Philippines when ONIC PH decided to revamp its roster after a disappointing Season 9 campaign, bringing in the then-amateur team Monster Anarchy led by Nets.
The 20-year-old gold laner displayed flashes of brilliance during his first three seasons in the league, holding his own against some of the top players in his role in the country.
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However, the Monster Anarchy core struggled to replicate its success on the professional stage, suffering three consecutive first-round exits which prompted ONIC PH to overhaul its roster once again—signing numerous MPL standouts led by Duane “Kelra” Pillas, widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best, gold laners in the world.
“Kasi si Kelra nasa ONIC na eh, no choice na ko,” Nets told Filipino reporters following Team Vamos’ lower bracket knockout stage loss to European squad Team Spirit on Tuesday at the IOI Grand Exhibition & Convention Center here.
With the former MSC MVP joining the ONIC PH roster, Nets had no other choice but to pack his bags and pursue a new opportunity—one that took him 2,377 kilometers away from home.
Following in the footsteps of several Filipino stars who struggled to find their place in the local scene, the up-and-coming gold laner joined HomeBois for the MPL Malaysia Season 13, making his presence felt right away and propelling the team to the finals in his very first season.
Nets also played a key role in the squad’s qualification for the ML:BB Mid Season Cup—his first career appearance–leading the squad out of the gruelling wild card phase and into the main stage, where they finished in 5th-8th place.
After their campaign in the MSC at the Esports World Cup, the newly-formed Team Vamos acquired the HomeBois core to represent the team in Season 14.
Though the name he is representing changed, the impact Nets had on his squad remained the same as he led the team to the finals—the group’s second consecutive stint—but lost to the Selangor Red Giants anew.
Still, the team secured a spot in the M6 World Championship, marking another first in Nets’ career after a lackluster campaign with ONIC PH.
Nets expressed his deepest gratitude to his teammates for giving him a second chance to reset his career and providing the supportive environment needed for his growth.
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“Sobrang salamat din sa mga kakampi ko kasi nakapunta kami dito, ‘yun nga lang top eight lang pero okay lang ‘yun. Maraming tao may gustong maglaro dito pero sa akin pa napunta kaya nagpapasalamat ako na napunta ako dito,” he said.
As for what’s next, Nets said that nothing is set in stone yet, but he is considering a return to the Philippines next year.
“Sa tingin ko hindi ko pa alam e kasi gusto kong mag-try sa PH ulit. Hindi ko lang alam if may kukuha sa akin. Sa tingin ko 50-50 kasi hindi naman ako nag-champion sa MY e.”
