MOBILE LEGENDS

Omega Esports oozing with confidence as they head to Malaysia to defend MSC crown

Despite falling short of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 9 title, Omega Esports is ready to make a splash and become the first team in the history to successfully defend an international MLBB professional tournament title.

Omega's Head Coach of Esports Tony "Ynot" Senedrin told GMA News Online that his boys are as prepared as they can be, heading into the Mobile Legends Southeast Asian Cup (MSC) which was won by Filipino teams in two of its past four iterations.

"(They're) very confident but not too confident. They're still on their feet. Grounded kumbaga. Looking forward naman kami na dumating dun (sa MSC) and see kung hanggang saan kami dadalhin ng preparation," he said.

("They're grounded. We're looking forward to arriving at the MSC and seeing how far our preparation takes us.")

During the 2021 staging, the core members of Omega Esports, then representing Execration, pulled off a massive run from the lower-bracket that they capped off with a dominant 4-1 win over compatriots Blacklist International in the grand finals to take the MSC title.

Midlaner Patrick James "E2MAX" Caidic, one of the team's veteran players, echoed Coach Ynot's sentiments and even describes their 2021 championship as a run fueled purely by passion alone.

"Compared sa last MSC, ngayon mas organized kami. Mas prepared kasi last time parang kami-kami lang din. Walang tumutulong sa 'min na ibang mga (tao) katulad nila Coach Tony. Parang kami-kami lang 'yung nagpaplano nung sa lahat, sa scrims," he said.

("Compared to the last MSC, we are more organized now. We are more prepared because last time, it's just us. No one helped us like Coach Tony. We just planned everything in the scrimmages by ourselves.")

He said his confidence is built around the support provided by the Omega Esports management this year, who has helped them elevate their game and focus on their matches alone compared to how they had to fulfill different roles in their 2021 run.

"Ngayon may tulong na nung iba't ibang (parte ng) management. Maraming taong tumutulong sa amin tulad ng analyst, andiyan si Amethyst. Kumbaga, wala na kaming ibang inisip kundi 'yung laro na lang namin sa MSC. Di na namin inaatupag ''yung ibang bagay kasi sila na 'yung nagpo-provide."

("Now there's management helping us. So many people are helping us like the analyst, there's Amethyst. We don't have to think of anything else but our play in the MSC. We don't have to worry about the other things because they provide it to us.")

With a reassuring management working behind the scenes, pressure is lifted off from the players and gives them a boost in confidence as they battle against the region's finest professional MLBB players.

Even team newcomer Dean Christian "Raizen" Sumagui, who replaced former Omega jungler Kiel VJ "Kielvj" Hernandez, is self-assured in the coming tournament despite it being his first international tournament exposure.

"Wala naman (ako pressure na nararamdaman). Confident ako ngayon sa paparating na MSC," he said.

("I don't feel any pressure. I'm confident for the upcoming MSC.")

The Comeback Kings' strength

Outside of earning the moniker "Southeast Asian Kings" after their MSC 2021 championship, Omega also was tagged as the "Comeback Kings" after their comeback wins in multiple series as early as the MPL Philippines Season 7 playoffs.

They were described by fans as the "Ginebra" of the MPL with their never-say-die game, letting the opponents beat them up in the early goings before making their move in the late game to take the win.

But Coach Ynot sees a different squad. What he discovered in handling the team was a group of players who play consistently all throughout no matter what position they are in.

"It doesn't matter to them kung sila lamang ng early, sila lamang ng mid or sila naghahabol all throughout," he said. "Kung paano sila mag-shot call ng umpisa, ganun sila mag-shot call ng midgame. Ganun din sila mag-shot call ng hanggang matapos."

("It doesn't matter to them if they are leading early, leading by mid, or they are chasing their opponents all throughout. How they shot call in the beginning,  that's how they shot call by midgame. That's how they shot call until the end.")

The consistency in their play witnessed by Coach Ynot comes from the players' deep trust in each other and a resilient heart.

"Siguro 'yung strength namin as a team is 'yung experience namin na magkakasama kasi sobrang tagal na naming magkakasama. 'Yung samahan namin solid na eh," E2MAX said.

"Siyempre (strength din) 'yung puso na pinapakita namin every game na hangga't hindi pa tapos 'yung tore, hindi pa tapos ang laban kahit na lugi."

("Perhaps our strength as a team our experience playing together because we've been together for a long time. Our camaraderie is solid. Of course, it's also the will we show every game to never give up as long as the game is not yet over, even though we are falling behind.")

—MGP, GMA News