The Recap: GPL Week 4
Riot·3/29/2014, 12:34:23 AM·0 votes·253 views
As the Taipei Assassins prepare for their first global-scale competition over a year, the competition in Southeast Asia reaches its home stretch. AHQ fights to preserve a lossless record and an oft-disregarded team manages to steal the spotlight from everybody else.
The conquering king of bot lane takes no prisoners. Bebe may possess the most lethal Ezreal in the world, with a Trinity Force and Blade of the Ruined King build that maintains his relevance throughout the entire game. He's notoriously hard to catch, his positioning is impeccable, and even against the ascendant Fantastic Five, he managed to keep a jaw-dropping 11-1 KDA.
Xue "DinTer" Hong-Wei
The man once considered the Assassin's weakest link is now the one that hoists them up towards victory. His specialization in carry junglers has dramatically evolved the Assassin's play style since 2013, with an Evelynn that beguiles, frustrates, and ultimately slays all that she runs across. Though Bebe usually steals the spotlights, the Assassins' recent crushing victory over Neolution Full Louis was all on the back of his 10-1 rain of Hate Spikes.
Juckkirsts "Lloyd" Kongubon
The Titans rarely attain any level of prestige or distinction, but their latest performances are worthy of attention. Even as the team struggles to adapt to the current level of play, AD carry Lloyd has gone on a hot streak, often dominating matchups that previously had no trouble rolling the Titans over. His 10-2 performance against Imperium Pro Team shattered their resistance.
No other team is more deserving of recognition in Week 4. There is now legitimate evidence that the Bangkok Titans are starting to catch up with the rest of Southeast Asia's competitive level, demonstrating a grasp of objectives-oriented play that troubled even the Taipei Snipers. Though it's too late for them to find entry into the playoffs, their late-blooming performance is promising for future splits.
The grades are in, and rookie team Imperium Pro Team seems scheduled for remedial classes in map control. Their game against the Bangkok Titans was a disappointment -- though it is true and self-evident that the Titans are improving as well, Imperium has to shoulder some of the blame for allowing themselves to be outmaneuvered so badly.
GAMES OF THE WEEK
Bangkok Titans vs. Imperium Pro Team While it isn't totally unusual for the Bangkok Titans to pick up the occasional win, it's unusual for them to do so convincingly. Their performance against Imperium Pro Team suggests that evolution is quickly taking place for the late-blooming team. With AD carry Lloyd leading the charge, the Bangkok Titans successfully secured one of the quickest games of the split. And then they did it again to Imperium the day immediately after! Tt eSPORTS Manila Eagles vs. Yoe Flash Wolves The Yoe Flash Wolves have been struggling for relevancy in prior weeks, finding themselves sandwiched in the middle of the rankings despite previously qualifying for the world championships over both AHQ and TPA. Though switching Mountain and REFRA1N's roles around might seem ill-considered so late into the season, it seemed to have worked: Mountain has a shockingly deft grasp of Nidalee's potential, landing spears almost unerringly throughout the game. Azubu Taipei Snipers vs. Bangkok Titans There were many surprising games on Day 3, but the first game of the day stands above even the Flash Wolves' dominant performance over the Singapore Sentinels. The Bangkok Titans showed impressive map control, farming Dragon five times in 30 minutes and nearly overtaking the Snipers with raw item advantage. But the Snipers found the crack in the Titan's defenses, turning a whiffed Unstoppable Force into a decisive fight. Azubu Taipei Assassins vs. Saigon Fantastic Five Due to their scheduled appearance at the IEM World Championship at Katowice, the Taipei Assassins played their last two sets on Monday, March 10, and right off the bat they ran into trouble. Though seemingly invincible for the last three weeks, the Saigon Fantastic Five brought TPA nearly to their knees with a punishingly fast-paced game, with advantages in almost every metric by 25 minutes. Nevertheless, the Assassins were able to win out in the late game, as Bebe was able to slip through the Fantastic Five's defenses to free-farm and carry. This game served as a humbling reminder that they still have worthy challengers back home.OVERACHIEVERS OF THE WEEK
Cheng "Bebe" Bo-Wei
The conquering king of bot lane takes no prisoners. Bebe may possess the most lethal Ezreal in the world, with a Trinity Force and Blade of the Ruined King build that maintains his relevance throughout the entire game. He's notoriously hard to catch, his positioning is impeccable, and even against the ascendant Fantastic Five, he managed to keep a jaw-dropping 11-1 KDA.
Xue "DinTer" Hong-Wei
The man once considered the Assassin's weakest link is now the one that hoists them up towards victory. His specialization in carry junglers has dramatically evolved the Assassin's play style since 2013, with an Evelynn that beguiles, frustrates, and ultimately slays all that she runs across. Though Bebe usually steals the spotlights, the Assassins' recent crushing victory over Neolution Full Louis was all on the back of his 10-1 rain of Hate Spikes.
Juckkirsts "Lloyd" Kongubon
The Titans rarely attain any level of prestige or distinction, but their latest performances are worthy of attention. Even as the team struggles to adapt to the current level of play, AD carry Lloyd has gone on a hot streak, often dominating matchups that previously had no trouble rolling the Titans over. His 10-2 performance against Imperium Pro Team shattered their resistance.
SURPRISE OF THE WEEK
Bangkok Titans
No other team is more deserving of recognition in Week 4. There is now legitimate evidence that the Bangkok Titans are starting to catch up with the rest of Southeast Asia's competitive level, demonstrating a grasp of objectives-oriented play that troubled even the Taipei Snipers. Though it's too late for them to find entry into the playoffs, their late-blooming performance is promising for future splits.
DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE WEEK
Imperium Pro Team
The grades are in, and rookie team Imperium Pro Team seems scheduled for remedial classes in map control. Their game against the Bangkok Titans was a disappointment -- though it is true and self-evident that the Titans are improving as well, Imperium has to shoulder some of the blame for allowing themselves to be outmaneuvered so badly.