ONIC Philippines |
by Drew Malihan
MANILA - Patience is key.
ONIC PH pulled off their fourth win in the season as the waiting game went into their favor against TNC Pro Team to end their MPL Philippines Season 8 Week 2 campaign with an unblemished 4-0 record.
The ONIC rotation continues as Beemo, Dlarskie, and Hatred were drafted in place of Ryota, Micophobia, and Markyyyyy, who played the last two games against Omega and Nexplay Evos, while TNC Pro went to the same five of Chuuu, Kousei, 3marTzy, P-GOD, and Light
TNC went to a Benedetta gold lane and a jungle X.Borg with a 3Mar special if Lapu-lapu, while ONIC went for a more tenacious lineup of Paquito, Uranus, and Popol and Kupa.
ONIC started the game on a high note, winning the economy game despite TNC getting two turtles in seven minutes as they take TNC turrets as well as kills mainly to P-GOD's Lylia.
TNC found their backs in their wall early on as their jungles were swiftly conquered by ONIC led by Baloyskie's Feathered Airstrike zone out, prompting TNC not to engage and contest.
ONIC managed to outplay TNC up to the late game, even Hatred's Paquito overextending just to take down Kousei's Benedetta and managing to survive.
TNC defended the base against a potential ONIC takeover as they finally get Baloyskie's Pharsa and Beemo's Popol and Kupa but the yellow squad managed to hold on.
With the pause lifted, a Dlarskie-led attack with his Uranus, taking down Light and forcing the rest of TNC Pro to defend but to no avail as Hatred's Paquito finished the first game in 17 minutes with a 4/0/3 KDA.
TNC went for a signature 3MarTzy Paquito and a jungle Roger with Pharsa, Selena, and Khufra while ONIC fielded Ling, a mid lane Popol and Kupa for Baloyskie, along with the tenacious trio of Thamuz, Grock, and Alice.
ONIC PH went to a more aggressive push in the jungles in the first seven minutes to limit TNC's gold with Baloyskie and Dlarskie's Thamuz getting the first two kills and two turtles for ONIC's side.
TNC failed to counter the ONIC initiative as they found themselves trailing with a huge gold deficit and Kairi getting the most of the objectives.
It was all ONIC in the second game as Beemo went to a Grock setup en route to a triple kill from Kairi's Ling and a 2-0 ONIC win, with Beemo leading the team with a 0/1/6 KDA.
With the win, ONIC PH moved to led all teams in Week 2 with 11 points in four games while TNC garnered six after two victories and two defeats each so far, all in sweeps.
ONIC will vie for win number five against newcomers RSG Philippines on September 11 while TNC will take a week-long rest before looking to bounce back against Omega on September 12.
Follow him on Twitter: @drewmalihan