By: Jan Marcus Montevirgen
Aurora’s stunning 2-1 victory over ONIC Philippines in their MPL PH Season 15 opener was more than just revenge — it was a statement.
For Renejay “Renejay” Barcrase, it marked a defining moment in the team’s journey, showcasing their growth and progress.
The victory, which came on Saturday evening, denied a reverse-sweep attempt by the defending MPL PH champions and set the tone for Aurora’s season.
“Ako po personally, nandoon yung gigil pero nandoon din yung pagiging kalmado. Kasi kapag nasobrahan kami sa gusto naming bumawi may chance na ma-excite kami kapag nakalamang kami ta’s matalo kami,” he said in an exclusive interview with Tiebreaker Times.
“Kumbaga, masaya ako na nanalo kami sa kanila kasi sila yung standard ngayon dahil sila yung world champions. Excited ako na makita kung ano yung na-improve namin at kung nasaan na kami ngayon.”
Starting strong in Season 15, the 21-year-old roamer emphasized that Aurora’s approach this season is different from previous one.
Their goal is clear: to establish dominance early in the league.
“Siguro yung Aurora ngayon is iba yung goal namin ngayon. Ang goal namin ngayon is mag-invest kami ng panalo sa week 1 hanggang sa matapos yung regular season. Ako personally, yung goal ko as a captain ng team is mag-upper-bracket kami sa playoffs. Yun talaga yung pinaka-unang goal ko bago pa namin isipin yung playoff matches namin,” he said.
“Gusto ko talaga na wala kaming itago sa una, hindi na namin kailangan magtago sa week 1, week 2. Kumbaga ipanalo na namin lahat kung kaya namin.”
To achieve these goals, Renejay believes the key lies in flawless execution.
He emphasized that these elements will be crucial for Aurora to dominate the regular season and eventually reach their full potential.
“Tingin ko sa decision making pa rin tsaka sa execution ta’s sa drafting. ‘Yan pa ring tatlo na yan eh. Kasi hindi namin kailangan maging relax para hindi masira yung momentum namin,” Renejay said.
“Kailangan habang tumatagal mas napupulido namin yung execution, yung draft, yung communication, tsaka yung decision making kasi yun yung magpapapanalo sa isang team. Kapag solid lahat ‘yon, tingin ko kayang mag-champion kahit sinong team.”
