Nexplay Evos takes 3 over hapless TNC Pro Team

Nexplay Evos

By Drew Malihan

MANILA--Nexplay Evos ended their three-match week on a roll as they took three points against a struggling TNC Pro Team in two games to end Week 6 of MPL Philippines Season 8.

Nexplay still went with Hesa over Jeymz for the third day in a row, keeping Renejay in the exp lane, while TNC Pro went with their usual five.

TNC went to a jungle Granger and a mid Mathilda to go with Barats, Alice, and Lapu Lapu, while NXPE went for a double marksmen Natan and Claude to team up with Yve, Chou, and Paquito.

The Phoenix Army went with the early game aggression, with P-God's Mathilda making wonders with his 2-0-4 Mathilda plays in the early game, helping Chuuu's Granger get his objectives including three turtles.

However, a failed lord take by Chuuu and company left an opening for Nexplay Evos, getting the economy game to their advantage and prompting the TNC Pro team to play defense.

An Nexplay lord take proved to be fatal for TNC Pro as H2WO burst down Light's Barats, then followed by crucial pickoffs to Kousei and P-God, and it was Nexplay for the first game, 11 to 9 with a 6/0/3 performance from H2WO's Natan.

TNC went to a triple mage setup with Kagura, Esmeralda, and Alice to go with Hayabusa and Khufra, while NXPE went with Pharsa and Lunox to team up with Yi Sun-shin, Jawhead, and Lapu Lapu.

The Phoenix Army once again activated their early game aggression with Chuuu and P-God ulitizing their burst potential in the early to mid game, along with three turtles in their hand.

However, a crucial pickoff to Chuuu, who overextends his Shadow Kill ultimate, proved to be an advantage to Nexplay as H2WO and company got pickoffs against TNC to turn the match to their advantage.

From there, it was a seesaw battle for both sides, who get crucial pickoffs against each other but NXPE has the slight advantage with the lord toppling the top third-tier turret.

However, a Yawi-YellyHaze setup burst down P-God, and the play proved to be TNC's last gasp as NXPE went to a rampage, leaving a squishy Hayabusa Chuuu to defend against four NXPE men to a 20-16 outing, with YellyHaze leading all NXPE with a 7/2/10 KDA.

With the win, NXPE went to solo third with 18 points and a 5-7 record, nearing a playoff spot with two series left to play, while TNC is on brink of elimination with 11 points and a 3-9 record.

NXPE will try to keep their third-place standing against fourth-place RSG Philippines, while TNC will try to keep their tournament hopes alive against Omega, both on Oct. 8.

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