Bangkok Titans are crowned kings of SEA
After competing in the Garena Premier League for almost four years, Bangkok Titans have finally claimed the top spot and proven themselves to be the Kings of SEA.
Barely a year ago, BKT were struggling to get out of the preliminary stages of the GPL, forever stuck in the shadow of the more successful Vietnamese and Singaporean teams. Tired of being at the bottom of the pack, BKT had constant roster changes, with over 20 players having worn the team jersey.
At the start of April, Bangkok Titans made their final roster change. Sorawat “Moss” Boonphrom was added to the team prior to the IWCI tournament where they finished in the top 4, proving themselves to be a strong contender among the IWC regions.
THE PATH TOWARDS GLORY
This tournament wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Bangkok Titans. Coming in as favorites to sweep the competition, BKT dropped two games in the group stages against Boba Marines and GIGABYTE Full Louis. In both games, it seemed like their opponents had found the solution to beating BKT. Unfortunately for their opponents, Bangkok Titans had more tricks up their sleeves.
Showcasing a wide array of champions and team compositions, BKT were no longer a one dimensional team which focused on winning lane to win the match. Pulling out new champions in the knockout stages, Vietnamese teams were not fully prepared for BKT's new look, and crumbled under the pressure. GIGABYTE Full Louis were dismantled 3-0 and Vietnam’s prodigal son, Lê "SofM" Quang Duy, was completely shut down in the semi-finals. Saigon Jokers did not fare much better in the finals, losing three straight games with a combined 20 kill and 15,000 gold deficit in all of the matches played.
ROAD TO WORLDS
Even after winning the GPL 2015 Summer Split in convincing fashion, Bangkok Titans has no time for a break. In four days time, BKT will have to play in the Regional Gauntlet against Saigon Fantastic Five, Saigon Jokers and Gigabyte Full Louis, to determine the team who will represent Southeast Asia in the upcoming International Wildcard qualifiers.
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If they manage to win the gauntlet, BKT will then have to prove their mettle against the top teams from Turkey, Oceania, and Japan for a spot at the World Championship, where the competition gets even tougher.
Closing Thoughts
After years of being considered as a bottom tier GPL team, Bangkok Titans have finally tasted some success -- but there's no time to look back. There will be no celebration, no popping of champagne as BKT will need to work hard to get through the regional qualifiers against the powerhouse Vietnamese teams who are now aware of the threat BKT represents.
Make no mistake, Bangkok Titans are in the best form in their lives and it's now more likely than ever for them to crush any opposition in their way.
Nelson Sng is a League of Legends hipster stuck on a sunny island called Singapore. He wastes his time by aimlessly wandering the various subreddits and looking for freelance team coaching opportunities around the world. Follow him on Twitter for more GPL news and updates!
