NAOS Esports qualified for the Valorant Champions Tour 2024: Ascension Pacific after reigning supreme in the Challengers 2024 PH: Split 2 with a 3-2 victory over ZOL Esports in the grand finals on Wednesday, July 31 at the High Grounds Cafe in Quezon City.

The quintet of Johnty “JA” Aronte, Deko “Papichulo” Evangelista, Nathaniel “Nexi” Cabero, Jerome “Mojer” Literal and Emmanuel “Emman” Morales came through in the overtime of the fifth map in the series to take its third Challengers crown and the P600,000 top prize.

It was also a revenge of sorts for NAOS after it was also defeated by ZOL in the grand finals of the Split 1.

With the win, NAOS now has the chance to make it to the VCT 2025: Pacific League and join other Valorant franchise teams.

However, the all-Filipino crew has to win it all in the Ascension 2024 in Tokyo that also features qualified teams from South Korea, Japan, Oceania, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and Malaysia and Singapore.

NAOS, though, certainly showed that it is the best team to represent the country in the Ascension 2024 after a stellar run in PH Split 2.

It came out as the second seed in the group stage before JustUs, 2-0, in the upper bracket semifinals and sweeping group stage top seed Oasis Gaming in the upper bracket finals.

In the finale, however, NAOS faced some resistance from ZOL, needing an overtime to draw first blood in the series with a 15-13 win in Icebox.

It went on a rampage in the second map at Haven, ending the first half with a 9-3 lead. It then took the first four rounds of the second half to score a 13-3 decision and take a commanding 2-0 series lead.

Just when the team looked poised to complete a sweep however, ZOL came back rallying with a 13-10 in Bind before coming through with an overtime 14-12 triumph in Lotus to force the decider.

It was an even match in the Map 5 Ascent as both teams finished 6-6 in the first half and a 12-12 count at the end of regulation. NAOS, then showed great poise and took the next two games to finally win it and take down ZOL.