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| Photo from MPL Philippines |
MANILA—The new org on the block is having euphoria on their MPL Philippines debut.
It has already been a regular season to remember for the new entrants, Aurora Gaming. After they indirectly "inherited" Minana EVOS' spot, the Serbia-based esports org set up shop in the Philippines and immediately got to work.
DNA
Their only "minana" from Minana EVOS was Jan Dominic "Domeng" del Mundo, who has been on a steady rise since his amateur days with Cerebrum Pro and his entry into the MPL Philippines scene with Nexplay EVOS and later Minana.
They also acquired the services of Jonard Cedrix "Demonkite" Caranto, a promising jungler with two titles under his belt from RSG Philippines, and sixth man and assistant coach Ben Seloe "Benthings" Maglaque, who was part of the TNC Pro Team for several seasons and contributed to their best finish yet in Season 9.
But their biggest acquisitions were the eight personnel who played together with Blacklist International for several seasons.
Kenneth "Yue" Tadeo and the returning Renejay "Renejay" Barcase became stars in their respective roles alongside Hall of Legends inductee Edward Jay "Edward" Dapadap.
Coaches Aniel "Master the Basics" Jiandani and Dexter Louise "Dex Star" Alaba joined the crew as coaches, while Elrasec "Rada" Ocampo returned to the scene as their manager.
Off the MPL PH arena, two Hall of Legends and Blacklist International icons, Danerie "Wise" del Rosario and Johnmar "OhMyV33nus" Villaluna, became the org’s content managers and ambassadors.
Blood, Sweat, and Tears
Aurora Gaming had a strong start to their campaign, losing only two series—against eventual league leaders Fnatic ONIC PH and Falcons AP.Bren—while securing crucial wins over Smart Omega and Team Liquid PH.
They finished the first half of the campaign with five wins and two losses, ending with a solid 5-2 record.
However, the second half was a mixed bag for the Auroras, as they suffered two straight defeats to Smart Omega and Falcons AP.Bren.
Since the new patch, they have a 3-2 record, including another win against Team Liquid, but they ended their campaign on a sour note after falling to friends and rivals Blacklist, finishing the regular season in fourth place.
Idol
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| Photo from MPL Philippines |
Among the five who played in all 36 games for Aurora, Yue consistently stood out.
The former MHRLK Esports star improved his numbers from Season 13, increasing his average kills from 1.69 to 1.89, and his assists from 5.88 to 6.47, while lowering his average deaths to 1.33 from 1.71 per game.
He was also a constant presence in team fights, contributing to more than 77 percent of all Aurora kills.
The midlaner is also among the top players in average damage per game and per minute, ranking third and second in those categories, respectively.
Yue also had a tremendous record with Zhask, leading all players with a 70 percent win rate, while his signature Valentina continued to perform well as his most-picked hero, boasting a 58 percent win rate.
Yet to Come
Aurora will begin their journey to the top with a first-round battle against Team Liquid PH. Historically, the five have an advantage over the Cavalry, having swept them clean during the regular season.
It will be a battle of form, as TLPH has been the better side in their last five matches compared to the Auroras.
Additionally, Yue will face a potential all-star showdown with the Cavalry’s Alston "Sanji" Pabico.
Aurora’s rise has been nothing short of a "Dynamite" season for a new team in MPL PH. Their "Blood, Sweat & Tears" throughout this campaign show they have what it takes to keep climbing the ladder, despite the challenges in the second half. With their "DNA" rooted in star players and coaches, their 'bangtan' quest to the top continues.
As they gear up for the playoffs, it remains to be seen whether this debut run will have a "Spring Day" ending—or if it will be just the beginning of a "Yet to Come" era for Aurora Gaming.
Follow him on X: @DMalihan_DPH
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