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Gari, Tgee stars as Mineski tramples BRE to solidify semifinal bye in '18 PGS Spring Playoffs

The 2018 PGS Spring Split roster of the former PGS champions Mineski. Pro Gaming Series

By Ozzy Alaba

MANILA -- With their Korean AD Carry import and his support on the verge of domination, Mineski just flashed at their opponents and critics their strongest championship form – in their final match in the Groups.

Mineski (MSK) triumphantly solidified their semifinal bye in the 2018 Bacchus PGS Spring Split Playoffs as their Korean AD Carry Bae Yong-jun and support Gerald Gelacio saved their season-best performance in the last to crush newcomers Barcy x Rage eSports (BRE), 2-0 and wrap up their group standings in first place in Day 1 of the seventh and final week of the group stages on Friday.

Gelacio and Bae, known as Tgee and Gari, respectively, provided some highlight reel-worthy plays, highlighting Gelacio’s on-point hooks on Thresh and Bae’s superb kiting on Caitlyn in Game 2, which resulted in a combined 16.75 Kill-Death-Assist (KDA) Ratio (18/4/49 KDA), with the former submitting a game-high 14/0/10 KDA on Caitlyn in the same game.

Gelacio, on the other hand, alongside with the series win was hailed as the Player of the Game through his individual 10.66 KDA Ratio (1/3/31 KDA), making his Tahm Kench and Thresh picks significant in MSK’s official first-place finish in the group stages.

MSK’s solo laners Jon Lance Hernandez and Eric Allen Gubatan also didn’t fail in supporting their bot lane duo in carrying as the veteran duo amassed a combined game-high 16/3/37 KDA (17.66 KDA Ratio), enough to contribute in anchoring MSK to its crucial victory.

MSK’s substitute James Karl Santos also stepped up big on its performance on Kha’Zix, finishing the series with a combined 3.85 KDA Ratio (14/7/13 KDA) in the entire series.

Total demolition and domination across the map was what MSK exemplified in the curtain-raiser.

MSK frantically got the gold advantage at 1,000 gold through full objective control despite BRE lead in kills in the first 15 minutes, 4 to 2, through BRE’s jungler Keiya Laureta (XDXP)’s 3/0/1 headstart on Nunu.

But BRE’s kill advantage was short-lived as MSK continuously picked off the latter short-handed, headed by Santos, playing as Kha’Zix, killing their AD Carry Andrei Santillan, playing as Vayne and top laner Rolando Garcia III, playing as the unconventional Kled first, resulting in numerous win in teamfights.

MSK’s onslaught just didn’t stop there. MSK then immediately surged at BRE’s base, picking three kills to one of the latter in a BRE’s base clash, gaining the upper hand in the series in a fast-paced 24 minute skirmish.

LOPSIDED. Mineski (blue side) capped off Game 1 with a bang, getting the kill advantage (18 to BRE's 7) and the gold margin (18,000 gold) and finishing the said game in a fast-paced 24-minute skirmish.

Riding the momentum high, MSK continued their demolition antics in the final game as Santos, with the help of their bot lane duo decimated BRE, allowing the former to only have six kills against 30 of the latter in the entire game, highlighting Bae’s unofficial Triple Kill in a mid lane teamfight in the 17th minute and forcing their adversaries to call GG in 22 minutes.

SUPERB KITING. Bae Yong-jun (MSK's AD Carry on red side) displayed his excellence in kiting as he scored an unofficial Triple Kill in a mid lane teamfight in the 17th minute, which was vital in MSK's win in that clash.

Meanwhile, Laureta displayed a decent performance for the new squad, only registering a team-high 5/8/5 KDA (1.25 KDA Ratio), altogether with Garcia, who finished the games with a 1.16 KDA Ratio (4/6/3 KDA).

Despite the loss, BRE will still qualify in the playoffs as the sixth and final seed, and they will face the third-placers Imperium Pro Team (9-8, 3-4 in set) in the Quarterfinals.

Mineski, on the other hand will wait for the winner of the said series as their opponents in the semifinals.

The bracketing of the six teams who qualified into the 2018 Bacchus PGS Spring Split Playoffs. Leaguepedia

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