RSG Philippines pulled off the biggest upset so far in the 2022 Sibol National Team Selection as it took down M3 World Championship runner-up Onic Philippines, 3-1, in their best-of-five match on Friday, Jan. 28.
RSG proved that its earlier win over MPL Season 8 third-placer Omega Esports was no fluke after the ‘Kingslayers’ dropped Onic PH to the lower bracket.
Jhonard “Demonkite” Caranto shone in the four-game stretch, effectively utilizing the likes of Fanny, Balmond, Hayabusa and Bane as RSG’s jungler picks. With Demonkite leading the charge, RSG overcame its Game 1 hiccup and stringed three straight victories to set up a date with Blacklist International in the upper bracket finals.
RSG came alive in the second game as Arvie “Aquaa” Antonio on his signature Kagura engineered the swift 11-2 win against Onic to tie the series. The veteran midlaner was untouchable with a 4-0-5 KDA as he connived with Demonkite’s Balmond’s who added a 4-1-2 KDA to stop Onic in just 15-minutes of play.
Riding the momentum of its Game 2 win, RSG cruised to the victory in Game 3 which only ran for 122 minutes. Demonkite picked up the pace with a 4-1-4 KDA on the Hayabusa as he spearheaded the non-stop aggression from RSG.
Onic failed to keep up with RSG as it kept its foot on the gas pedal to take a 12-1 domination of the MPL S8 second-placers.
It was the same story in Game 4 as Demonkite went uncontested on the jungle with his Bane pick. A huge clash for the Lord at the eight-minute mark allowed RSG to snowball, picking up three heroes of Onic along with the Level 1 Lord.
RSG never looked back from that point as Demonkite scattered a neat 6-0-5 KDA on the Bane to finish off Onic PH, 16-6.
Onic actually had a good start in the series as it drew the series first blood with a 15-16 Game 1 win. Although they failed to fully neutralize Demonkite’s Fanny pick which still performed with an impressive 5-1-3 KDA, a perfectly executed conceal play from Onic at the 21-minute mark foiled RSG’s comeback attempt. in the series opener.
That, however was Onic’s last taste of the lead as RSG owned the next three games behind the brilliant drafting of Coach Bryan “Panda” Lim.
Onic will now face the winner between Bren Esports and El Ganador Esports in the second round of the lower bracket.