Blacklist reaches grand finals for the first time, drops Aura to lower bracket

Blacklist International completed a dominant season with a 3-1 thrashing of Aura PH in the upper bracket to reach the Season 7 grand finals for the first-time ever in the history of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines on Saturday.

Blacklist came prepared in Game 1 when they unleashed the surprising Beatrix pick for Keil "OHEB" Soriano in the gold lane that resulted in a 5-0-7, taking charge on a 20-6 romp in just 14mins.

Aura then looked to have recovered in Game 2, keeping it close throughout the early to mid-game but Blacklist's five-man rotation on the bottom lane in the 8th minute led to a crucial 2-0 exchange, taking down Jaypee "Jaypee" Dela Cruz (Mathilda) and Jaymark "Lord Hadess" Lazaro (Benedetta).

This translated into a lord take a minute later that finally finished off Aura in the 10th minute.

Facing demotion to the lower-bracket, Aura unleashed the Rafaela and Mathilda picks, giving Blacklist a taste of their own medicine that translated into a dominant 16-4 romp and a Game 3 victory in the 12th minute.

But it was Blacklist who took charge again in Game 4, reasserting supremacy with an Aldous hypercarry for Danerie "Wise" Rosario and Edward "Edward" Dapadap with his signature Benedetta.

It was a methodical dismantling once again for Blacklist, executing needed pickoffs to secure objectives and slowly chip away Aura's outer turrets. Blacklist used a 10th minute lord take to take down two inhibitor turrets.

Edward and Oheb (Harith) then displayed an outstanding outplay in the enemy base in the 12th minute, wiping out Aura in the process. Edward finished with a 2-0-8 KDA while Oheb had a 7-0-4 KDA.

The win also qualified Blacklist for the Southeast Asian Cup next month as the first Philippine representative.

Blacklist will await the winner of the lower-bracket semi-finals on Sunday, 6pm.

—JMB, GMA News