Elevate falls to Nongshim RedForce as Ultimate Battle decides HOK Invitational S3 quarterfinals
Photo from HOK Global Esports
Elevate falls to Nongshim RedForce as Ultimate Battle decides HOK Invitational S3 quarterfinals
QUEZON CITY – Nongshim RedForce continued their dominance over Filipino teams, eliminating Elevate in a hard-fought seven-game thriller to secure a spot in the Honor of Kings Invitational Season 3 semifinals.
The Korean squad mounted an impressive comeback from a 2-3 deficit, forcing the Ultimate Battle tiebreaker before sealing the series victory.
Back-and-Forth Battle Leads to Game 7
Elevate struck first with a commanding 16-5 win in Game 1, led by Audrey “Ajizix” Cedro’s Augran, who dictated the tempo from start to finish.
However, Nongshim quickly answered back in Game 2, edging out a hard-fought win behind Lee “SIRI” Hoon-min’s Loong, who delivered five kills and seven assists to tie the series.
The Koreans seized control in Game 3 with a dominant 9-1 performance, as Han “HAKU” Ji-hoon’s Pei contributed to seven of their total kills, pushing NS ahead 2-1.
Elevate responded in Game 4, with Ajizix’s Dun making a huge impact, assisting eight of the team’s nine total kills while shutting down Nongshim’s playmaking.
The Filipinos gained the upper hand in Game 5, thanks to Eleazar “Azar” Salle’s standout Marco Polo performance. With two kills and eight assists, Azar led Elevate to a match-point opportunity before the 15-minute mark.
But Nongshim refused to go down. In Game 6, the Koreans dominated the mid-to-late game, forcing a Game 7 after a 15-minute clash, where Jo “Illusion” Seung-bin’s Gan & Mo earned the MVP nod with three kills and four assists.
Ultimate Battle Rules Decide the Series
With the series tied 3-3, the match came down to the Ultimate Battle, a special blind draft format where all previously banned heroes from Games 1 to 6 become available, and teams pick their champions without knowing their opponent’s lineup.
Both squads opted for Dun, Loong, and Dolia, resulting in frequent clash-heavy team fights. However, Nongshim executed the winning strategy, using Min “Kyoung9” Kyoung-hyeon’s Sun Ce for a split-push, while his teammates baited Elevate into a decisive fight to secure the series victory.
NS vs. Blacklist, Vitality vs. Nova now official
Nongshim RedForce now sets their sights on a potential Filipino sweep, as they prepare to face Blacklist International in the semifinals tomorrow.
Meanwhile, in the other quarterfinal matchup, Team Vitality crushed Bigetron Sigma in five games, eliminating Indonesia’s final hope in the tournament. The European powerhouse will now face Malaysia’s last remaining squad, Nova Esports, in the second semifinal series.
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