After SIBOL’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) team suffered a tough 0-2 loss to Malaysia in the grand finals of the IESF World Esports Championship 2024 last Friday in Saudi Arabia, they still managed to prove their worth on the international stage.
SIBOL head coach Jian “Pauloxpert” Munsayac silenced critics who had doubted the team’s potential, showing that even a roster primarily composed of MDL players could make waves.
Despite fielding a lineup made up mostly of players from RRQ Kaito, SIBOL achieved an impressive podium finish. Under Pauloxpert’s guidance, the team showcased their resilience and talent, standing tall against some of the world’s best.
“I wouldn’t really say it’s a challenge, but what do you call this? Parang we want to prove the doubters wrong. Kasi wala naman nag-e-expect sa amin noon eh. Kasi katulad nga ng sinasabi ng mga tao, we’re just an MDL team,” Pauloxpert shared during an online interview on Saturday.
“But nobody expected us to be going into the grand finals in the first place. So, yeah, I’m very proud of the boys and what they accomplished. And yun lang po, yun lang naman po yung feel ko na naging challenge namin,” he added.
Throughout the tournament, SIBOL demonstrated their strength, earning a reputation as one of the most dominant teams in the competition. The team suffered only a single loss in the group stage—against Malaysia—but rebounded to secure a critical 2-1 victory that propelled them to the grand finals.
In the championship match, however, Malaysia’s team, composed of players from the Selangor Red Giants and JP Niners, exacted revenge, defeating SIBOL to claim the title.
Michael “KyleTzy” Sayson, the lone player from Falcons AP.Bren in the lineup, credited the team’s strong chemistry and close bond as key factors in their success, despite having only a week to prepare for the tournament.
“Yung expectation ko, siguro talaga kayang-kaya namin mag-champion eh. Siguro ano, kung ano lang yung ginawa namin sa practices kaya ganun yung naging results namin. Siguro sa bonding siguro, kaya umabot kami ng grand finals,” KyleTzy explained.
“Kasi kapag [maganda] yung bonding nyo, doon mabi-build up yung chemistry nyo. So parang napabilis yung chemistry namin kahit na one week lang yung preparation namin,” he continued.
