Duane “Kelra” Pillas took home the well-deserved Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup Most Valuable Player award after steering Execration to the title, Sunday night.
The 16-year-old gold laner played a pivotal role in Execration’s title-clinching Game Five over Filipino rival Blacklist International, unleashing 15 kills and five assists on his Chang’e against just two deaths.
“Sobrang saya kasi hindi ko ineexpect na aabot ako sa ganito na makakarating ako rito. Pero pangarap ko talagang maging pro player,” said Kelra moments after the 4-1 win.
“‘Di ko rin inexpect kasi akala ko si Ch4knu ‘yung MVP.”
Kelra topped the kills tournament of the MSC with a total of 149 — 16 ahead of teammate Kielvj “Kielvj” Hernandez. He also ended the tournament with a 7.03 KDA – finishing in second place among players who played at least three games.
Execration topped the entire Group D, sweeping both MPL Singapore champion EVOS SG and Nightmare Esports to clinch one of the four upper bracket tickets.
The team eventually fell to Indonesian kings EVOS Legends after a 2-1 result and was relegated to the lower bracket. There, Execration dispatched Impunity KH via a 2-1 win. It later swept RSG MY to climb its way up the lower bracket finals.
The MPL Philippines Season Seven grand finalist then claimed vengeance on EVOS Legends. It booted out the first-ever world champions for the right to face Blacklist International in the finale.
After losing to the same squad in the MPL Philippines, Execration took down Blacklist International in a dominant 4-1 fashion. It becomes just the second Filipino squad to win the MSC after Bren Esports back in 2018.
