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Semifinals recap
We are getting close to ending this legendary draft tournament and yesterday witnessed what top teams still have a say in finals. Weekend started off slowly with pretty one-sided wb games, then continued into a bit more interesting jav games and ended with base games going into 3 games.
WB
Ambush vs Power
Ambush being top tier chose Power as opponent, who really impressed in quarterfinals and play-ins, but over the course of season was rather poor. Ambush had all their main players available, but power was missing beam, which proved to be crucial, as only good games power had in wb also included beam in lineup.
Both games were very one-sided events and ambush controlled it completely with second game perhaps going a bit longer with equal scores, it was very good teamwork from ambush and solid performances from everyone delivering win, while power just had no answer with genx and zid having poor game in first round and genx and stayon in second.
Thunder vs Dice
Thunder also started off very strong against with 25 points lead with rainbow seeker and ease dominating. In second game, perhaps they got too overconfident, they had still lead, but dice managed to KO rainbow and then took control of ending phase of game securing a valuable comeback with riverside and banzi playing key role. In last game though, despite also managing to take rainbow out, riverside was also eliminated, so Thunder got deserved win and faces Ambush is finals. Who knows how this would have ended if creature would have shown, dice had to play all games with 1 less vp.
JAV
Dice vs Legendary
Legendary somewhat surprisingly managed to get to to semis, while Dice was the best team after main season. Legendary had pretty poor showup with temujin missing, so they had to play both games with 2 vps less in game. To their credit, they did put up a fight, but in the end Dice was just better team and with yeh and riverside having good games, legendary is now out of this league.
Pure Luck vs Thunder
Pure Luck had really strong main season and went into this game as favorites. Thunder has seen really big revival once Best started showing up and proved to be worthy opponent. In first game, rainbow seeker and his sub ekko proved to be weak link for Thunder getting only 2 kills, while vys and tiny did great job KOing and mvping the game. Second game, PL was also in solid lead, but somehow managed to blew it with vys getting KOd out already ahead of 8 minute mark. In deciding moments of games, an unexpected hero y0gi woke up, having more lives than anyone else Y0gi rose to occasion running havoc and eliminating 3 opposition players. Shaun also played a slippery eel game, getting out of several really difficult situations with 9 deaths.
By the time last game took place, Rampage had finally warmed up and proved to be key player, securing PL in jav finals with key KOs and mvping.
BASE
Thunder vs Ambush
Ambush had very solid quarterfinals and was surely hopeful, but was missing joeses, who had played key role in road to semis. Thunder was also missing some people, mainly mikkiz and solace, but still lined up with solid setup, with best making his debut in spider. Already from first moments of first game Ambush was struggling, failing to have any control in base or holding cram in those rare occasions it managed to clear. Thunder just played better in terring, sharking and spidering and took very solid win in first game. Second game was more or less going in same direction, at one point rojo was subbed in for me as rojo/ibex under duo really had been playing for majority of season together. Slowly but surely then Ambush started having moments in game. Maybe it was overconfidence from Thunder side as well, but somehow Ambush managed to get back, got some lucky KOs also in finishing minutes and got a close win, but it was still a win. In 3rd game Thunder focused again though and Ambush was just outplayed in everything again, resulting in solid 7+ minute win and deserved finals place. Base is in the end all about teamwork, perhaps most important part of that is how sharks are clicking with terr and with each other. Jamal/menel had really good games, while cig and hulk duo hasnt really played or won any games this season together. In all games ambush has won, it has always been joe + cig or hulk + joe, depending on how much spider power is needed. Credit also to thunder spiders, lead by rainbow, been brilliant in recent times.
Terrorist vs Pure Luck
PL chose terrorist as their base opponent and in first game all was going according to play. DW made an executive decision midgame, taking terring to himself and getting tj in with cripple, but Pure Luck still controlled game and took another win in first game to continue their streak. In second game though, dw pulled probably the best terrier game of the season with amazing 64-8 and 4 teks, putting tiny under pressure several times. Terrorist spiders also played well, making PL under suffer, causing PA being subbed midgame. Willby playing under shaky connection was also struggling more than usual, making mark/will duo not as effective as it has been all season. In the end Terrorist managed to get first win over PL entire season.
Last game Terrorist had their machine running at full speed, dw pulled another miraculous 39-0 terrier masterclass, again with 4 teks, pl sharks struggled even more and christian10 played one of the best low-star spider game all season going 79-28. PL spine was broken and they are out of finals.
So what to expect from finals?
WB
Ambush vs Thunder
Ambush has been very solid in wb entire season, lead by saiyan, turban and hulk with azuline, bluff, rojo also playing important part. Ambush is nicely setup team with both mix of close finishers and mid-range snipers with solid lower stars capable of staying in. They did beat Thunder in last week of main season, but that game Thunder was missing rainbow, so not much attention has to be paid to that.
Thunder has really come alive since Best has return for playoffs. Their gameplay is setup on 3 star players rainbow/best/ease dominating, while low stars ekko and harder/shaun having to stay alive. Games against Thunder usually depend on surviving the initial onslaught and trying to take best/rainbow out late game and then getting control in 5v4 situation. As seen in playoffs, it can happen, but its more likely that by the time they are out, opposing team better players are also out.
Really difficult to predict here, i am guessing it will probably be 3-round final, but being on ambush i put them on top.
JAV
Dice vs Pure Luck
Dice strength has been their very solid 8*+ lineup, they rarely have to play with lower vps. They do have a key player in creature, who has been great this season, if he shows, i think it may move the favorite status to dice, if not, they are still very capable jav team with yeh, cape, drose, zizzo all having good seasons.
Pure luck depends on tiny/rampage/vys trio doing the job, banks giving support and rekashi as low star surviving. With PL out of all other leagues, they are surely motivating in bringing at least 1 trophy home, or else all the good work in main season has been wasted.
Like i mentioned, if creature shows, i would give advantage to Dice, but without him its anyones game really and will probably be decided on how well rekashi manages to survive and if tiny/rampage manage to keep their great form of this season also in finals.
So i see this also being 3-game matchup, but perhaps PL will win .
BASE
Terrorist vs Thunder
So has dw now found key for their lineup, playing himself as terrier, letting cripple lead spiders and mvp/commodo in sharks. Their last 2 games vs pure luck were impressive. They also won that first round 1 second game against Thunder, is that something we may also see in finals?
Thunder has been very solid in playoffs, with rainbow seeker and ease continuing their great season in spiders, rozay/jackie doing good job as unders and menel/jamal shark duo really clicking well. Lets see who shows for finals, if we can see solace around, if mikkiz will there for terr?. Alot of questions.
So both teams are very similar in sense that they havent really had same setup all season (compared to pure luck for example); having to play variety of people in different positions. Thunder for example has played 9 different spiders with terrorist using 10 different players as spiders. Spookedone has carried terrier for terrorist most of season, but now in semis dw played great there. Ekko has been main shark for Thunder, but mikkiz also having some games. O well, difficult to predict, but i am going to give terrorist 2-1 win here.
One more week to go, still 5 teams in it! See you in finals!
WB
Ambush vs Power
Ambush being top tier chose Power as opponent, who really impressed in quarterfinals and play-ins, but over the course of season was rather poor. Ambush had all their main players available, but power was missing beam, which proved to be crucial, as only good games power had in wb also included beam in lineup.
Both games were very one-sided events and ambush controlled it completely with second game perhaps going a bit longer with equal scores, it was very good teamwork from ambush and solid performances from everyone delivering win, while power just had no answer with genx and zid having poor game in first round and genx and stayon in second.
Thunder vs Dice
Thunder also started off very strong against with 25 points lead with rainbow seeker and ease dominating. In second game, perhaps they got too overconfident, they had still lead, but dice managed to KO rainbow and then took control of ending phase of game securing a valuable comeback with riverside and banzi playing key role. In last game though, despite also managing to take rainbow out, riverside was also eliminated, so Thunder got deserved win and faces Ambush is finals. Who knows how this would have ended if creature would have shown, dice had to play all games with 1 less vp.
JAV
Dice vs Legendary
Legendary somewhat surprisingly managed to get to to semis, while Dice was the best team after main season. Legendary had pretty poor showup with temujin missing, so they had to play both games with 2 vps less in game. To their credit, they did put up a fight, but in the end Dice was just better team and with yeh and riverside having good games, legendary is now out of this league.
Pure Luck vs Thunder
Pure Luck had really strong main season and went into this game as favorites. Thunder has seen really big revival once Best started showing up and proved to be worthy opponent. In first game, rainbow seeker and his sub ekko proved to be weak link for Thunder getting only 2 kills, while vys and tiny did great job KOing and mvping the game. Second game, PL was also in solid lead, but somehow managed to blew it with vys getting KOd out already ahead of 8 minute mark. In deciding moments of games, an unexpected hero y0gi woke up, having more lives than anyone else Y0gi rose to occasion running havoc and eliminating 3 opposition players. Shaun also played a slippery eel game, getting out of several really difficult situations with 9 deaths.
By the time last game took place, Rampage had finally warmed up and proved to be key player, securing PL in jav finals with key KOs and mvping.
BASE
Thunder vs Ambush
Ambush had very solid quarterfinals and was surely hopeful, but was missing joeses, who had played key role in road to semis. Thunder was also missing some people, mainly mikkiz and solace, but still lined up with solid setup, with best making his debut in spider. Already from first moments of first game Ambush was struggling, failing to have any control in base or holding cram in those rare occasions it managed to clear. Thunder just played better in terring, sharking and spidering and took very solid win in first game. Second game was more or less going in same direction, at one point rojo was subbed in for me as rojo/ibex under duo really had been playing for majority of season together. Slowly but surely then Ambush started having moments in game. Maybe it was overconfidence from Thunder side as well, but somehow Ambush managed to get back, got some lucky KOs also in finishing minutes and got a close win, but it was still a win. In 3rd game Thunder focused again though and Ambush was just outplayed in everything again, resulting in solid 7+ minute win and deserved finals place. Base is in the end all about teamwork, perhaps most important part of that is how sharks are clicking with terr and with each other. Jamal/menel had really good games, while cig and hulk duo hasnt really played or won any games this season together. In all games ambush has won, it has always been joe + cig or hulk + joe, depending on how much spider power is needed. Credit also to thunder spiders, lead by rainbow, been brilliant in recent times.
Terrorist vs Pure Luck
PL chose terrorist as their base opponent and in first game all was going according to play. DW made an executive decision midgame, taking terring to himself and getting tj in with cripple, but Pure Luck still controlled game and took another win in first game to continue their streak. In second game though, dw pulled probably the best terrier game of the season with amazing 64-8 and 4 teks, putting tiny under pressure several times. Terrorist spiders also played well, making PL under suffer, causing PA being subbed midgame. Willby playing under shaky connection was also struggling more than usual, making mark/will duo not as effective as it has been all season. In the end Terrorist managed to get first win over PL entire season.
Last game Terrorist had their machine running at full speed, dw pulled another miraculous 39-0 terrier masterclass, again with 4 teks, pl sharks struggled even more and christian10 played one of the best low-star spider game all season going 79-28. PL spine was broken and they are out of finals.
So what to expect from finals?
WB
Ambush vs Thunder
Ambush has been very solid in wb entire season, lead by saiyan, turban and hulk with azuline, bluff, rojo also playing important part. Ambush is nicely setup team with both mix of close finishers and mid-range snipers with solid lower stars capable of staying in. They did beat Thunder in last week of main season, but that game Thunder was missing rainbow, so not much attention has to be paid to that.
Thunder has really come alive since Best has return for playoffs. Their gameplay is setup on 3 star players rainbow/best/ease dominating, while low stars ekko and harder/shaun having to stay alive. Games against Thunder usually depend on surviving the initial onslaught and trying to take best/rainbow out late game and then getting control in 5v4 situation. As seen in playoffs, it can happen, but its more likely that by the time they are out, opposing team better players are also out.
Really difficult to predict here, i am guessing it will probably be 3-round final, but being on ambush i put them on top.
JAV
Dice vs Pure Luck
Dice strength has been their very solid 8*+ lineup, they rarely have to play with lower vps. They do have a key player in creature, who has been great this season, if he shows, i think it may move the favorite status to dice, if not, they are still very capable jav team with yeh, cape, drose, zizzo all having good seasons.
Pure luck depends on tiny/rampage/vys trio doing the job, banks giving support and rekashi as low star surviving. With PL out of all other leagues, they are surely motivating in bringing at least 1 trophy home, or else all the good work in main season has been wasted.
Like i mentioned, if creature shows, i would give advantage to Dice, but without him its anyones game really and will probably be decided on how well rekashi manages to survive and if tiny/rampage manage to keep their great form of this season also in finals.
So i see this also being 3-game matchup, but perhaps PL will win .
BASE
Terrorist vs Thunder
So has dw now found key for their lineup, playing himself as terrier, letting cripple lead spiders and mvp/commodo in sharks. Their last 2 games vs pure luck were impressive. They also won that first round 1 second game against Thunder, is that something we may also see in finals?
Thunder has been very solid in playoffs, with rainbow seeker and ease continuing their great season in spiders, rozay/jackie doing good job as unders and menel/jamal shark duo really clicking well. Lets see who shows for finals, if we can see solace around, if mikkiz will there for terr?. Alot of questions.
So both teams are very similar in sense that they havent really had same setup all season (compared to pure luck for example); having to play variety of people in different positions. Thunder for example has played 9 different spiders with terrorist using 10 different players as spiders. Spookedone has carried terrier for terrorist most of season, but now in semis dw played great there. Ekko has been main shark for Thunder, but mikkiz also having some games. O well, difficult to predict, but i am going to give terrorist 2-1 win here.
One more week to go, still 5 teams in it! See you in finals!