MPL PHILIPPINES

Nexplay EVOS makes franchise history with playoff sweep against RSG

Nexplay EVOS finally got over the hump and will move on to the upper bracket semifinals for the first time in franchise history after sweeping a pesky RSG Philippines, 3-0, in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 8 Playoffs on Thursday.

After suffering from first-round playoff exits in the past two seasons, the Dogie-led squad finally punched their first Top 4 finish while dispatching a promising RSG side who dragged them to lengthy skirmishes in Games 2 and 3.

After a successful pick off on Cedrix "Demonkite" Caranto (Lancelot) in the 1st minute of Game 1, NXPE took control of the match and completed the perfect performance with an 18th minute conquest.

The Jawhead-Eudora duo of Tristan "Yawi" Cabrera and Jeniel "Haze" Bata-anon was a thorn for RSG as both Yawi and Haze easily completed pickoffs after pickoffs in the early game en route to the fluid NXPE gameplay.

It looked like RSG was on the way for an equalizer after Christian "Iy4knu" Manaog (Kimmy) completed a triple kill in the 12th minute of Game 2 to secure the luminous lord and dictated the tempo of the match from there.

But NXPE held on and used a successful 19th minute defensive stand on the luminous lord via a 2-1 exchange then leaned on Yawi's accurate Tyrant's Revenge setup on Iy4knu in the 21st minute for the pickoff that touched off the close out play, 2-0.

RSG once again took the upperhand in Game 3 after a 3-0 takedown in the 15th minute but NXPE always had the answer for the RSG aggression in the late game.

NXPE slowly employed split push strategies to disorient the RSG side that ultimately culminated in a 5-1 exchange in the 35th minute for the sweep.

The team will advance in the upper bracket with a showdown against Onic Philippines, who swept them during the regular season.

—MGP, GMA News