Blacklist improves to 9-0 with TNC sweep

Blacklist International

by Drew Malihan

MANILA - Blacklist International continued their winning season as they grabbed their ninth win with a sweep of TNC Pro Team on Week 5 Day 2 of MPL Philippines Season 8.

TNC has reinstalled Toshi into the main five replacing Kousei and mainstay roamers Light and 3MarTzy came back in lieu of Der and Benthings, while Blacklist International retained their starting five.

Blacklist went to a Wise's favorite Yi Sun-shin core to go with a roaming Estes and Hadji switching to mid-lane with Vale, while TNC drafted a core Baxia, a gold laner Brody, and roaming Popol and Kupa to go with Thamus and Lylia.

TNC put Blacklist on a rather unfamiliar territory, with the Phoenix army limiting Edward's involvement with 3MarTzy's Paquito while taking advantage of their early game aggression.

Blacklist, with their backs against the wall, did not compete for the objective takes by TNC as the latter went to take two of three turtles as well as the first lord, taking all six turrets in the process.

However, with the contested lord falling into Blacklist's side, the defending champions evened up the game, limiting TNC's map control on the late game, including a 40-second pickoff to Chuuu's Baxia.

From there, Blacklist utilized their signature UBE teamup to control TNC's dispersion to give Wise the comfort in taking the lord with Oheb's Beatrix nailing the last shot to get the objective and the GG push for a 1-0 Blacklist advantage.

TNC went to their usual four but 3marTzy replaced Thamus with a Phoveus, while Blacklist went full damage with Mathilda, Pharsa, side lanes Benedetta and Bruno, and a jungle Yi Sun-shin.

Blacklist, utilizing their aggressive potential, went full throttle with their attacks, taking down TNC heroes one by one without much answers from the orange team.

Lift's boys cannot find an answer to Blacklist's rather full-powered lineup, hitting their power spikes early on and taking every objective possible.

From there, it was all Blacklist, who only lost heroes four times in less than 12 minutes, going for an early GG push with Wise's 7/0/5 KDA.

The defending champs will try to extend their streak further as they will go toe-to-toe with RSG Philippines, while TNC will try to arrest their losing skid as they will match up with Echo, both on Sunday.

Follow him on Twitter: @drewmalihan