TNT rules PBA Esports tourney
PHOTOGRAPH courtesy of PBA | MEMBERS of the Talk ‘N Text team that won the PBA Esports Bakbakan Mobile Legends display a huge check worth P750,000.
Different arena, same results.
Talk 'N Text kept its mastery of rival Barangay Ginebra, this time in a virtual arena after completing a 3-0 sweep in the grand finals to become the inaugural Philippine Basketball Association Esports Bakbakan Mobile Legends: Bang Bang champion Monday night before a sizeable crowd at the Circuit Makati Event Hall.
Only 10 days after unseating the reigning champion Gin Kings on the hardcourt to win the 2023 PBA Governors' Cup, the Tropang Giga conquered another throne in the "Land of Dawn" by essaying a comeback after another in the best-of-five championship series to rule the prominent online mobile game.
Aaren "TNT.Sindel" Palermo shone the brightest for the Tropang Giga, claiming the Finals Most Valuable Player plum after anchoring their three straight victories behind the lethal carry heroes of Karrie and Beatrix.
Sindel unleashed a 7/1/4 KDA (kill-death-assist) while earning 12K gold as the Tropang Giga clawed back from a 9-16 (kills), 3-6 (towers) and 6K-gold deficit in Game 1 to draw first blood.
TNT then took command with a dominant Game 2 win behind Sindel's Beatrix (7/0/7 KDA, 12K gold) and saved its best for last with another
come-from-behind win in Game 3 behind Sindel's Beatrix masterclass (6/1/8 KDA, 14K gold) once again.
The Tropang Giga flipped a massive 1-5 tower and 4K gold deficit in the clincher by slaying a crucial Level 3 Lord in the 16-minute mark, snowballing their way in the middle lane highlighted by three pickoffs of Sindel to finish off Ginebra's base in almost 18 minutes of play.
TNT.KingJastro (Jason Robante) with his Fredrinn, Edith of TNT.Emperorzxc (Nathanael Teodoro), Kaja of TNT.Regi (Reginald Agustin) and Kagura of TNT.4na4na (Bryan Bollas) also provided solid coverage as the Tropang Giga claimed the P750,000 grand prize.
Ginebra, led by the country's most prominent esports figure in Naser "Akosi Dogie" Mollazehi (GSM.Layla Only), Aaron Raphael Pascual (GSM.Uzic), Anton Jose Cabrillas (GSM.Shaibel), Lance Aaron Misa (GSM.Lansu) and Gellert Pangilinan (GSM.Briskzzz) took home P250,000 as runner-up.