Polaris Esports showed resilience down the stretch as it survived Lilgun in their three-game thriller in the DPC SEA Division II on Thursday, Dec 9.
The Filipinos made it count when it mattered the most as they turned back Lilgun in the last two clash to complete a momentous comeback in Game 3 and seal the series victory. With the win Polaris got the solo lead in the Division II standings with an immaculate 3-0 record while also handing Lilgun its first taste of defeat through three games.
Polaris’ efforts to drag the game to as long as possible paid dividends as its carry heroes reach their power spikes in the late game. John Anthony "Natsumi-" Vargas on the Riki and Mc Nicholson “Lelouch-" Villanueva on the Kunkka took over in the last two team fights to turn things around in the deciding game.
The Filipinos battled back from a 14k deficit hole and used a huge clash in the Rosh pit at the 50-minute mark to kill three heroes to the side of Lilgun to regain the momentum. Polaris' then went on for Lilgun's high ground where it initiated a big 5-on-5 brawl to which the Filipinos prevailed after scoring a four-man wipe allowing them to close out the series via a 33-35 comeback.
It was Polaris who took the first point of the series behind the impressive gameplay of Lelouch- on the Kunkka in the series opener. He finished with a near-perfect 14-1-8 score line to spearhead Polaris’ 30-23 Game 1 win.
Game 2 was a back-and-forth affair with Polaris having multiple chance to take full control of the game. The Mongolian squad however refused to go down silently as it pulled of its own 45-24 domination of the Filipinos with Sukhbat "Sanctity-" Otgondavaa carrying his squad with a monster 21-1-12 showing on the Outworld Destroyer.
Sanctity-‘s fine play carried over to the final game with a 15-6-9 score line on the Timbersaw but was not enough to douse Polaris’ fiery late game run.
Polaris will try to sustain its winning run when it battles fellow all-Filipino team InterActive Philippines while Lilgun will try to get back on the winning column against Army Geniuses, both games in week 3.