Blacklist keeps unblemished record with great escape against NXPE

Blacklist International flirted with disaster before edging out NXPE, 2-1, to keep their immaculate record intact in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 8 on Saturday.

It was their 11th consecutive win to move up to 28 points with three matches remaining in the season.

Despite the lack of kills early in Game 1, Blacklist still managed to surge ahead in the gold tally, taking a 3k gold lead by the 6th minute. They expanded the lead to a 9k gold lead by the 10th minute, even with a slim 4-2 kill spread.

A 3-0 wipe in the 16th minute then helped Blacklist take the lead, 1-0. Kiel “OHEB” Soriano (Kimmy) led the way with a 5-0-0 KDA.

NXPE though was not to be outdone as they zoomed to 6-0 kill lead by the 6th minute in Game 2 with John Paul “H2wo” Salonga (Lancelot) already on a 3-0-2 KDA.

And just when things looked good for NXPE, Blacklist caught them off guard in the 11th minute as the defending champs equalized after a 3-1 exchange.

But a 3-0 wipe in 14th minute plus a luminous lord take in the 15th secured by NXPE was just too much for Blacklist as the Dogie-led squad scored the series equalizer in the 16th minute. H2wo finished with a monstrous 9-1-3 KDA while Jeniel “YellyHaze” Bata-anon (Yve) had a perfect 2-0-8 KDA.

It looked dangerous for Blacklist in decider after NXPE took a 2k gold lead and a 7-4 kill spread at the 10th minute mark courtesy of H2wo's (Lancelo) 3-1-1 KDA. NXPE then extended the lead to a 4k gold lead by the 14th minute.

A lord in 22nd minute to take down two inhibitor turrets and another pickoff of H2wo in the 25th helped Blacklist dodge a bullet and escape with a 2-1 series win.

—JMB, GMA News