Champions Summer: Moving Forward
Riot·7/15/2014, 7:54:56 PM·1 votes·824 views
The Group Stage
End of an Era Since League of Legends took off in Korea, two teams have consistently been at the forefront of play, as well as the hearts of fans. CJ Entus Frost and Blaze were once the champions of Korea, winning the first two OGN Champions tournaments under the MiG name. Since then, both teams have consistently ranked among the top teams in Korea, remaining common fixtures in the Champions bracket stage.
The group stage for Frost and Blaze this split played out identically, with both teams being forced into a do-or-die match after struggling during the regular season, in which they had to achieve a 2-0 victory in order to proceed into the bracket stage. Frost kept their hopes alive in Game 1 with a tight win over SK Telecom T1 S, but their late-game decision making would betray them at the last minute in Game 2, eliminating them from Champions.
Blaze’s Champions campaign, on the other hand, was put to an end in Game 1 at the hands of their former teammate Cpt Jack and his new squad Jin Air Stealths. Though Blaze obtained a consolation win in Game 2, the damage was already done. Blaze struggled with farm distribution and team cohesion in the mid-game, but credit must be given to the Stealths, who have improved considerably since their last Champions appearance in Winter 2013-14.
Changing of the Guard
The group stage of Champions Summer 2014 brought refreshing change to the landscape of Korean League of Legends, with two teams making their playoffs debut, and one team returning after more than a year away from the stage.
SK Telecom T1 S and Jin Air Stealths will play their first best-of-five matches of their careers, bringing new faces to the bracket stage of Champions. The fact that these two teams have kept their Champions dreams alive at the expense of the two CJ Entus teams is almost poetic, as we observe a changing of the guard in Korea.
The presence of these two teams in the Champions playoffs is indicative of the increasing level of competition in Champions, and no team should feel that their position is safe. This could not be truer for the KT Rolster Bullets, who failed to make the bracket stage of Champions for the first time. In their place is the new NaJin Black Sword, who have surprised audiences with the explosive play of their two rookies Lee and Ohq.
The Bracket Stage
Night and Day The KT Rolster Arrows and NaJin White Shield are looking to gain some confidence as they move into the bracket stage of Champions Summer, especially after their playstyles have been called into question by analysts and fans. The Arrows maintain the status of Korea’s most volatile team, seemingly never having a close game due to their high-octane, instinctive playstyle.
Conversely, Shield come into each game with a meticulous plan, bordering on inflexible at times. If either team is to see improvement, it will only be from careful assessment of their playstyles, and how viable they are in the long run.
NaJin Black Sword and SK Telecom T1 S may be similar in their historical struggles to make it into the playoffs, but their playstyles could not be more different. Sword have returned to their ‘always dive’ mentality of seasons past, punching holes in their opponents with coordinated rotations and frequent skirmishes. T1 S elect for a reactive style of play, stalling with high wave clear until the late stages of the game. For both teams, this match will be a chance to prove the worth of their strategies.
Chasing Victory
The rivalry between Samsung White and SK Telecom T1 K is taking shape as one of Korea’s most exciting match-ups, as the teams have played each other in best-of-five matches in every season of Champions since T1 K’s inception. With two wins apiece, both teams are seeking to assert dominance over the other. Given that both teams have never looked closer in skill before, and the teams’ ability to play under pressure will be key.
The Jin Air Stealths have their plate full as they take on incumbent champions Samsung Blue in their first-ever bracket stage match. Given their improvement, the Stealths already have much to be proud of. Against Korea’s top team, however, the Stealths have an opportunity to push themselves even further and prove that they deserve their playoffs spot. On the other side of the match-up, Blue must defend their wounded pride after a less-than-ideal group stage performance, and shoot for a repeat victory.
