All the Time in the World, in their Grasp. ONIC PH Eliminates NXPE in Nailbiter 5 Game Series.

For the second series, fourth seed NXPE and fifth seed ONIC PH are matching up each other in the elimination match of their playoffs run. Both teams showcase one of the league’s best gold laners and junglers, and a battle between hero pools for ONIC PH and player pool for NXPE with multiple pieces in their puzzle of success.

The long wait for the second series was surely taken back by the nailbiter series played off by both teams, showing that they are both hungry, both prepared and both in for the ride.

Domination in terms of the kills was the message sent by NXPE in the first game, where they decimated each head of their opponent and threw flurries of punches all throughout the map to apply the pressure and easily snowball which favored the odds for themselves. It was a bloodbath in the Land of Dawn for the opener win for NXPE, giving them the series momentum.

The tempo flipped into the hands of ONIC PH as their discipline in skirmishes and securing objectives allowed Markyyy’s Wanwan and the rest of the squad to be able to scale for their own timers. Kairi had one of the best counters used against the Lancelot as the Baxia kept rolling into the backline first with Dlarskie’s Uranus leading the charge as well. With the momentum now in ONIC PH, they served a bitter pill to NXPE and take twice more the kills and tie the seroes 1-1.

The third game was expected to be a battle between assassins, but MP the King was the only assassin as NXPE allowed him to lock in Ling which will be up against Kairi’s bruiser Barats in the jungle matchup. Similar picks for ONIC PH were locked in as well, showing the confidence of the draft and execution. With the discipline yet again confidently flaunted by ONIC PH, Kairi easily secured the objectives and allowed the rest of the team to build up the necessary items and keep NXPE inside their base as their opponents continue to demolish the outer turrets in the 12 minutes that have passed. Baloyskie’s Natalia pierced through flesh against NXPE which gave him the MVP and put his squad to series point.

With NXPE now in a near – death situation of their playoffs run, they now play in H2WO as their last hope to bring their team standing from their knees. The same jungle matchup was locked in but in a better position for H2WO with his mobility helping his signature assassin scale through the harsh proximity lockdown by ONIC PH.

Despite ONIC PH securing the turtles, NXPE stabilized their economy by taking down vital pick offs and slow pushes. The needs then kept piercing through the tight armor of ONIC’s ticking time bomb and made NXPE send their own message as it is their time for the fourth game and push a tiebreaker in the midnight clash.

In the late-night action, nailbiter series tiebreaker, all hands are now on deck as this will decide the fate of the playoffs hopes of both teams. Kairi’s Barats pick proved to be the biggest problem of NXPE where he had secured more map control, paired with Baloyskie’s Franco and Dlarskie’s Masha for the cherry on top bruisers. This left URESHIII of NXPE to lock in the Esmeralda and Cadenza with Atlas.

Another back-and-forth episode of kills and objectives were played out by both teams. ONIC PH handled the early game, while NXPE slowly crawled their item disadvantage back to an even matchup in the 13-minute mark, securing the two initial Lords. At the 18-minute mark, however, Markyyyy made the heroic engage as his Claude destroys the positioning of NXPE and gives up important members of the team and the third Lord. This then became the clear sign of ONIC PH to push through the base, secure the fourth Lord in the 24 minute mark, have their eyes on the prize. Blood, sweat and tears were drawn, but ONIC PH was the squad to outlast it all and call that it is their time, securing the series and advancing to the next round of playoffs.

Picks and Bans:

Game 1: ONIC (L) 5 - 24 (W) NXPE (14:23)