Filipino team Liyab Esports will attempt to pull off a shocking feat of clinching a spot in the League of Legends World Championship 2021 when it competes in the Pacific Championship Series (PCS) Summer Split 2021 slated to start on Friday, July 9.
Liyab retained its full roster composed of Jay "Speltz" Tabarangao (top laner), Edrian "DoeDoii" Brancia (jungler), Kyle "Dawn" Somera (AD carry), Ren "Kanji" Motomitsu (mid laner) and Jhon Mike "Xyliath" Tungol (mid laner) while adding Matthew "Aieden" Rogando (support).
The crew of coach Gerald "Tgee" Gelacio will go up against the same nine teams it faced in the PCS Spring, albeit this time they will slug it out in the professional league for the two tickets to the prestigious Worlds later this year on top of the $80,000 (nearly P4 million) prize pool.
Liyab will open its campaign against Berjaya Dragons of Malaysia at 5 p.m. on Friday followed by matches versus J Team of Taiwan on Saturday and Indonesia-based Boom Esports on Sunday to cap off the first week of the double round robin group stage.
The PH squad will battle powerhouses PSG Talon of Hong Kong, Machi Esports and Alpha Esports of Taiwan on Week 2 before clashing against Singapore-based Impunity, Taiwan's Beyond Gaming and Berjaya on Week 3.
Liyab will square off versus J Team, Hong Kong Attitude, Boom and PSG Talon on Week 4 then finish the groups against Machi, Beyond, Impunity and Alpha in the final week.
The top eight teams will advance to the double elimination playoffs, with the top two earning direct seeding to the semifinals, third to sixth in the quarterfinals and seventh to eighth settling for the lower bracket first round.
Back in the Spring Split last February to April, Liyab ended up last in the 10-team league with a dismal 1-10 win-loss record. The PH side's lone victory came at the expense of Berjaya Dragons.