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| Kiel "Oheb" Soriano conducted a Granger clinic in the SIBOL SEA Games Qualifiers finals. MPL Philippines (file photo) |
MANILA--When it mattered most, the Cavalry rode behind the sniper's crosshairs.
Kiel "Oheb" Soriano delivered a near-flawless performance as Team Liquid Philippines took down ONIC Nine Lives, 3-1, in the grand finals of the SIBOL Southeast Asian Games Men’s MLBB Qualifiers on Friday evening.
ONIC Nine Lives struck first in Game 1 with superior early-game skirmishes and objective control that set the pace heading into the mid-game.
A crucial turning point came when Jaypee dela Cruz, piloting Kalea, kept catching John Carlo "Caloy" Roma's Gatotkaca in multiple pickoffs that disrupted ONIC's primary engagement.
That moment swung momentum back in favor of TLPH, and with Coach Rodel "Ar Sy" Cruz's Pharsa-Granger draft, they punished ONL in the game's only lord fight.
The Cavalry marched through the midlane and closed the game after eliminating ONL's members one by one.
In Game 2, ONIC Nine Lives retaliated as Mico "Nosia" Guevarra's Natan executed a split push in the bottom lane while his teammates stalled recalls, ending the game swiftly at just 8:41.
TLPH came out of the third game with a statement, not dropping a single turret as Oheb dominated on Granger with an impeccable 17/0/2 KDA.
Their momentum carried into game 4, where the Granger-Pharsa duo returned with Oheb and Alston "Sanji" Pabico anchoring the composition.
Despite ONIC keeping the match close through the early to mid stages, Oheb once again played perfectly, ending the game with a KDA of 16/0/3.
ONIC Nine Lives mounted a strong fight, but their early-game lead faded once the match reached a stable, late-game state.
Oheb delivered the finishing blow with a clean midlane push that ended the game at 21:17.
With this victory, Team Liquid PH emerged as the leading squad from SIBOL Phase 2 and claimed the top spot in the national team selection race.
This marks yet another milestone for Team Liquid PH, who are also the reigning MPL Philippines Season 15 champions and are set to represent the country in the Esports World Cup x Mid Season Cup this July in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Sanford Vinuya, who was previously handed a two-year ban from SIBOL eligibility, now finds himself with two potential international assignments: the IESF World Esports Championship and the SEA Games, pending final selection.
Coach Arsy officially earns the right to call himself a SIBOL coach after steering his squad through phase 2 with strategic and tactical brilliance.
TLPH, ONL, Aurora, and Team Falcons Philippines, the core of the SIBOL squad for the IESF World Championship, will participate in an upcoming combine to determine the final SIBOL lineup for the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand.
The four teams will be considered for the SIBOL SEA Games roster after making the semifinals of the qualifiers.
TLPH fought back from a Game 1 loss to beat Falcons PH through a reverse sweep, while ONL shocked Aurora with a 2-0 sweep to set their finals date.
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