LPL Week 3 Preview
Riot·6/26/2014, 9:26:33 PM·0 votes·275 views
Both StarHorn Royal Club and LGD Gaming have unveiled totally revamped rosters, and the results appear positive. SHRC and LGD crushed through Young Glory and World Elite Academy, as well as taking convincing games from each other. It’s hard to say just how strong LPL Spring’s fifth and sixth place seeds are, however, since they’ve yet to come up against any stiff competition. This week, SHRC butts heads with World Elite, and LGD tests their luck against OMG and Invictus Gaming. We’ll have an inkling as to the gravity of both teams’ changes at the end of the week.
Despite having imported Korean players, SHRC and WE entered the split under very different circumstances. SHRC narrowly avoided relegation with their old roster, and WE proved they could take games from both regular season winners, OMG, and Playoff Champions, Edward Gaming.
When Ruo temporarily left, WE took the opportunity to acquire ActScene, known to his new Chinese fans as sin, and Ninja. While many have criticized Ninja as a downgrade from last split’s mid laner, sukiM, the jungle faceoff between sin, a rising talent before the AHQ Korea match-fixing scandal, and inSec almost seems fated. Both players came to China as a result of unique circumstances, and both have performed exceptionally well for their new teams. This rift battle is certainly a jungle battle, and only one thing is certain: Lee Sin will be contested.
17 is better known as a mid laner, but he proved last week in his debut set that a good Yasuo player’s only lane is a winning one, ending the best of two against WE.A with a sum total of kills and assists to match his in game name. Yet even last split, when LGD Gaming was powering up the ladder to third place on a Riven high, they couldn’t take a game from OMG. If the upstarts have a chance of making it to Summer Playoffs, they had better be prepared for innovative jungle picks and OMG’s newest brand of creativity. As an added bonus, if We1less can handle Cool this weekend, he’ll make more than a name for himself.
LGD’s new top laner, 17, has a matching new opposite on iG. With the recent retirement of the legendary PDD, YongSoo has stepped in to take over. Aside from a curious fixation with Gragas top, YongSoo has yet to fill PDD’s impressive shoes and has received a great deal of criticism for the lack of pressure he exerts. IG has long been used to their top laner claiming a lead over his opposition. YongSoo has an opportunity to douse the hype surrounding the upstart 17 and claim some of his own this weekend, but regardless this set is a must-see. Both LGD and iG have a reputation for unique picks, and if LGD’s game against OMG doesn’t deliver, iG would lament disappointing their fans.
Catch the first match between Edward Gaming and Young Glory on June 27th at 1:00am PDT.
WORLD ELITE VS STARHORN ROYAL CLUB
June 27th, 4:00am PDT We were tempted to call this the Korean Klash, but decided against it on the grounds that it would make us look ridiculous. Still, there’s a sense of truth to the proposition. Both StarHorn Royal Club’s and World Elite’s gaming houses serve as host to at least three Koreans each: two players and a coach. They also pay full time translators and Chinese language teachers to help bridge the divide imposed by a communication barrier. So the question on everyone’s minds is, will it pay off, and if so, which team will reap the greatest reward?
Despite having imported Korean players, SHRC and WE entered the split under very different circumstances. SHRC narrowly avoided relegation with their old roster, and WE proved they could take games from both regular season winners, OMG, and Playoff Champions, Edward Gaming.
When Ruo temporarily left, WE took the opportunity to acquire ActScene, known to his new Chinese fans as sin, and Ninja. While many have criticized Ninja as a downgrade from last split’s mid laner, sukiM, the jungle faceoff between sin, a rising talent before the AHQ Korea match-fixing scandal, and inSec almost seems fated. Both players came to China as a result of unique circumstances, and both have performed exceptionally well for their new teams. This rift battle is certainly a jungle battle, and only one thing is certain: Lee Sin will be contested.
OMG VS LGD GAMING
June 28th, 4:00am PDT Even with the roar of excitement surrounding SHRC’s acquisitions, the team was unsuccessful in drowning out LGD Gaming’s buzz. LGD has turned heads since they unveiled their dive composition against SHRC in Week 1, and those who guessed LGD might struggled against World Elite Academy were definitively proven wrong by LGD’s decimation of the first place LSPL Spring team. Part of this is down to powerful new talent. Their new mid laner, We1less, has proven that some LSPL stars live up to the hype, and he’s joined by XQ in the bottom lane and 17 in the top lane.
17 is better known as a mid laner, but he proved last week in his debut set that a good Yasuo player’s only lane is a winning one, ending the best of two against WE.A with a sum total of kills and assists to match his in game name. Yet even last split, when LGD Gaming was powering up the ladder to third place on a Riven high, they couldn’t take a game from OMG. If the upstarts have a chance of making it to Summer Playoffs, they had better be prepared for innovative jungle picks and OMG’s newest brand of creativity. As an added bonus, if We1less can handle Cool this weekend, he’ll make more than a name for himself.
INVICTUS GAMING VS LGD GAMING
June 29th, 1:00am PDT The caveat here is that LGD’s performance against OMG the day before may dampen some of the anticipation going into Day Three. Yet, given the unpredictable nature of LPL so far this split, even if LGD are forced into two twenty minute surrenders in a row by OMG, they could still put up a fight or even take a game from iG the next day. Last split, iG had a humiliating first set against LGD, but managed to secure their first 2-0 of the LPL season against them in the second round. This gave iG the momentum to overtake LGD in the standings all the way from fifth place. Going into this, it’s clear the remaining members of LGD might hold something of a grudge against iG for knocking them from the playoffs at the last conceivable moment, and this weekend grants them a chance for revenge.
LGD’s new top laner, 17, has a matching new opposite on iG. With the recent retirement of the legendary PDD, YongSoo has stepped in to take over. Aside from a curious fixation with Gragas top, YongSoo has yet to fill PDD’s impressive shoes and has received a great deal of criticism for the lack of pressure he exerts. IG has long been used to their top laner claiming a lead over his opposition. YongSoo has an opportunity to douse the hype surrounding the upstart 17 and claim some of his own this weekend, but regardless this set is a must-see. Both LGD and iG have a reputation for unique picks, and if LGD’s game against OMG doesn’t deliver, iG would lament disappointing their fans.
Catch the first match between Edward Gaming and Young Glory on June 27th at 1:00am PDT.