ESPORTS

Sportsmanship is undefeated as Blacklist shows love to Onic PH after M3 title showdown

SINGAPORE—Blacklist International and Onic Philippines may be rivals on the battlefield but both Philippine teams are real good friends with each other outside the game.

In fact, when the Codebreakers were formally proclaimed the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang M3 World Champions, the first thing they did was to troop to the other side of the stage to console their compatriots.

Blacklist pulled off a stunning 4-0 sweep over Onic PH to bag the coveted world title.

"We congratulated them as well because all throughout the quarantine, we really became close with each other. We became friends," said head coach Kristoffer "BON CHAN" Ricaplaza in the post-game interview.

"Our bond is not toxic and that's why we really went to their side to comfort them."

Blacklist team captain Johnmar "OhMyV33nus" Villaluna shared the championship has a different impact to him since they disputed it with Onic, his former team with whom he represented the country during the M1 in 2019. 

In the M1, OhMyV33nus, along with Blacklist teammate Danerie James "Wise" Del Rosario, competed alongside current Onic players Allen Jendric "Baloyskie" Baloy and Gerald "Dlarskie" Trinchera. They weren't able to move past the group stage in that tournament.

"We all know that my former team is Onic PH and we were runners-up in MPL PH Season 4 together with Dlar and Baloyskie and actually, when we reached the grand finals I didn't care anymore who would win," said OhMyV33nus.

"Because I was just so proud and I know how Baloyskie and Dlar worked hard for this."

Youngsters Kiel "OHEB" Soriano, Edward Jay "Edward" Dapadap, and Salic "Hadji" Imam also shared that they went to Onic after their victory to give them words of encouragement as they move forward from M3.

"When I went to them, I just said that no one lost in this game and that they really played well," said OHEB, who was named the MVP.

—JMB, GMA News