OGN Champions Spring 2014 - Group D Preview

Storming the Jungle

One of the main storylines of Group D is a story between two of the longest running teams in Korean League of Legends. While CJ Entus Blaze (NLB champions, 5th place OGN Winter) have only gone through a few changes in their history, each move marking a new point in the team's history, Xenics Storm have been around since the beginning of Champions but have gone through endless roster changes and moves. CJ Blaze enter the tournament as one of the tournament's heavy favorites, after recently winning WCG over Chinese team OMG. They've also done well in OGN Masters, only dropping a single game in a 70 game epic against SK Telecom T1 S. Xenics Storm will be looking for revenge due to losing Daydream, who was on the verge of becoming something special on the roster before being plucked from the Storm roster before the Winter season. For Storm, their hopes will come down to the experienced bottom lane of Ohq and ink, the former duo of Xenics Blast. Their veteran presence will be needed next to three rookies in Vin, Alvingo and Ren. Ren was the standout star of the three rookies in the qualifiers, finishing with an 8.3 KDA, and having a combined score of 12-2-19 on his two games on Tryndamere and Renekton.

Incredible Inconsistency

With Blaze favored as the top seed to get out of the group and Xenics Storm throwing together a rookie loaded roster, IM #2 (group stage Champions Winter) and NaJin White Shield (4th place Champions Winter) could be in a dog fight to see who gets out with the NLB champions. White Shield has finally found their time in the sun, making it all the way to the semifinals for the first time during the last season of Champions. They've taken their roster to the next level by adding Watch, the premiere Jungler formerly of NaJin Black Sword. IM#2 has been the team with the most potential, but the least amount of results through the past few seasons. BetKyo and Kur0 are the stars of the team, holding down the AD Carry and Mid positions, but they weren't able to get out of the tightly contested Group B last season, losing to the KT Rolster Bullets on the last day 0-2 to get knocked out of the tournament. The return of Lasha to the Support position and the introduction of Apple to the Top role could be what they need to finally break through the group stages, but it'll be tough if they can't lock down consistent play that has plagued them through Champions and OGN Masters.

Players to Watch:

Lee "Flame" Ho-Kong Possibly the world's finest Top lane player, the recent buff to the Tear of the Goddess might cause the return of Jayce and Ryze to Flame's large arsenal. Being the first to introduce Ryze to the top lane all the way back during last year's OGN Spring, it will be interesting to see if any team allows Flame to return to the champions that turned him into one of the most feared players in the scene. Kang "DayDream" Kyung-min Introduced into CJ Blaze to give them a spark in the early game, his funky jungle routes and routine pre-five minute ganks were what Blaze needed to go from their boring, standard split pushing selves into the new force they've become lately. Going from a player many saw as a one trick pony in his own right by relying on Aatrox early in his career, Daydream has quieted his critics by picking up new champions and winning the MVP award during the NLB finals against NaJin Black Sword. Cho "Watch" Jae-geol Transferred from Black Sword to White Shield, the electric Jungler will be taking his talents to a team that will be looking to improve on a semifinal appearance last season. Taking over for former captain NoFe who retired to become a commentator, a big responsibility will be forced onto Watch's shoulders as one of the veterans of his new team, joining a core that has only been together for two seasons.

Predictions:

1. CJ Entus Blaze Rated as the second strongest team heading into the tournament by the players themselves in a recent poll, Blaze are a heavy favorite to make it out of the group. With WCG and NLB titles under their belts in recent months, they can only get better with the synergy of their team becoming stronger with Emperor and Daydream working their way up the hierarchy of their respective positions. 2. NaJin White Shield In the best rebuilding project in recent Champions memory, consistency is what White Shield is desperately seeking and they might have found it with their recent success and moving a top flight Jungler Watch onto the team. Ggoong is on his way to being a star Mid laner, and their experience of getting through into the semifinals should help them take the second spot in a dog fight against IM #2. 3. IM #2 Maybe the team with the most potential with the least amount of results to show for it, the runners-up of the Summer NLB are still searching for their first quarterfinal appearance. Placed in the Group of Death last season and barely missing the cut on the final day of the group stage, things won't get easier against Blaze and White Shield. Kur0 will need to progress to the level of Ggoong and Ambition if IM #2 want to make it to their first final eight. 4. Xenics Storm The odd men out, anything other than last place would be a gigantic success for the always revolving Xenics Storm roster. The last team to qualify through the Wild Card tournament, they come into the group as huge underdogs against each of the three teams in the group. NaJin White Shield and Xenics Storm Photo Source: Inven

Related Articles

• OGN Champions Spring 2014 – Group A Preview