Tooth and Nail: Piglet's climb to the top
Riot·4/11/2015, 3:44:22 PM·0 votes·9,463 views
After Team Liquid and Gwang-Jin "Piglet" Chae rolled over Counter Logic Gaming in the North American LCS Quarterfinals, the team's AD carry seemed a bit disappointed that he couldn't face a fully powered Yiliang "Doublelift" Peng.
"Doublelift is a very good player, but the games didn't go so well for him," he told Lolesports. "So, its a bit disappointing. I'd like to play against him again."
After working on his teamwork and communication for months, Piglet seems to have finally settled into the World Champion-caliber player that Team Liquid expected when they picked him up at the beginning of the 2015 Spring Split. And now, he's aiming for the title of NA LCS 2015 Spring Split Champion.
But now, in the Playoffs, he's stepped up. In TL's 3-0 victory over CLG he went 25/4/20 across the three games, including a massive 10/1/8 performance on Kog'Maw in Game 2.
So, how did he turn his struggles around?
As it turns out, he focused on being the consummate professional. "I just prepared with the mindset that I will just do what is required of me and to do my job," he said. He was able to separate his frustrations from what needed to be done. Now that he's in the playoffs, however, it's time to make sure he can hold onto that mentality.
With the support of his fans, however, he says he'll have what he needs to succeed. "I really want to say thanks to all those who kept supporting me despite my poor performance," he says. "I will work hard to make sure we get a victory."
To keep up with the Semifinal action this weekend, make sure to keep your eyes on Lolesports. And if you missed any of Piglet's games this season, head over to the spoiler-free VODs page.
Climbing the ladder. Again.
The beginning of the 2015 Season hasn't been easy for Piglet. After struggling mightily for the early half of the split -- and even being benched for sub Yuri "KEITH" Jew -- the AD carry simply couldn't produce wins for Team Liquid.
But now, in the Playoffs, he's stepped up. In TL's 3-0 victory over CLG he went 25/4/20 across the three games, including a massive 10/1/8 performance on Kog'Maw in Game 2.
So, how did he turn his struggles around?
As it turns out, he focused on being the consummate professional. "I just prepared with the mindset that I will just do what is required of me and to do my job," he said. He was able to separate his frustrations from what needed to be done. Now that he's in the playoffs, however, it's time to make sure he can hold onto that mentality.
Why can't we be friends?
Of course, Piglet couldn't climb his way back to the highest tiers alone, he gets support off the Rift. "Jokasteve has been an immense help," he says. "He makes lots of conversations with me and spends time with me. Because of this, I am trying my best to be good to him to return the favor." He also credits a huge amount of his adjustments to his duo lane partner. "I didn't overwork myself and concentrated on what my teammates were saying. Also, my bottom lane duo [Alex "Xpecial" Chu] spoke up and communicated a lot and took such good care of me." And it's shown. The duo finally looked as if they were on the same page during the Quarterfinals, fending off the much-touted early game pressure of CLG's "Rush Hour" duo of Doublelift and Zaqueri "Aphromoo" Black before crushing them as team fights broke out. Piglet's aggressive playstyle was more than complemented by Xpecial's defensive support choices of Alistar and Janna. It's clear that Piglet now trusts Xpecial to keep him safe while he spits out huge damage, whereas in earlier games in the Spring Split, Piglet could often be found off farming by himself or getting picked off early in teamfights. The newfound trust is key to Team Liquid's success.The next challenge
Now, it's a question of whether or not Piglet can find consistency. And going into the NA LCS Spring Split Semifinals, he's going to have to find it quick, as he and Team Liquid are going up against some rather fierce opponents. "Our next match is against C9, who are an incredibly strong team," he says. Even though Cloud9 hasn't had the dominating regular season they've become known for this split, the Best of 5 against Sneaky and company will be one of the toughest challenges Piglet faces this season.
With the support of his fans, however, he says he'll have what he needs to succeed. "I really want to say thanks to all those who kept supporting me despite my poor performance," he says. "I will work hard to make sure we get a victory."
To keep up with the Semifinal action this weekend, make sure to keep your eyes on Lolesports. And if you missed any of Piglet's games this season, head over to the spoiler-free VODs page.
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