ONIC Nine Lives, Aurora Hunters to contest for maiden MDL PH crown after close SF wins
Photo from MDL Philippines / Richard Esguerra
ONIC Nine Lives, Aurora Hunters to contest for maiden MDL PH crown after close SF wins
SAN JUAN — A new king will rise.
ONIC Nine Lives and Aurora Hunters are headed to the MDL Philippines Season 5 Grand Finals after escaping close semifinal battles against favored foes Smart Omega NEOS and RRQ Kaito, respectively, on Saturday at the GH Mall East Wing Atrium.
With both squads missing the playoffs last season, their Cinderella runs now set up a best-of-seven finale that will guarantee a first-time MDL PH champion.
Wildcats outlast top-seeded Omega NEOS
Fifth-seeded ONIC Nine Lives silenced the crowd early with a 3-1 series lead over top seed Smart Omega NEOS, starting with a confident 17-minute Game 3 win and a 13-minute demolition in Game 4.
While Dan “Dan” Yambao willed the top-seeded Barangay Omega to a Game 5 victory, ONL’s momentum proved too much. Alejandro Jhon “Kayn” Sombilon’s jungle Lukas sealed the deal in a clean 14-minute Game 6, putting the Wildcats through to their first-ever finals appearance.
Aurora survives full seven-game thriller
In the other semis clash, 10th-seed Aurora Hunters showed grit and creativity to outlast MDL Season 3 champions RRQ Kaito in seven games.
After dropping Game 1, sixth-seeded RRQ bounced back with wins in Games 2 and 3, then took a 3-2 series lead after dominating Game 5. But Aurora answered with flair, going back to their pocket gold lane Argus pick—previously seen in their Karibok Heroes match—to extend the series.
Michael “Atams” Eusebio’s clutch performance in Game 6 set the stage for a decider, where Aurora came alive with a 16-1 stomp in under 15 minutes. Carl “Minguin” Gallantes’ Novaria struggled under pressure, giving up six deaths and becoming the primary target of Aurora’s pick-off composition.
From bottom to top
This Grand Finals marks a massive turnaround for both teams.
ONIC Nine Lives ended Season 4 in ninth place out of 12 teams, while Aurora Hunters failed to notch a single win last season—finishing dead last with an 0-11 record.
Now, they’re one best-of-seven series away from the title.
Championship clash ahead
The MDL PH Season 5 Grand Finals is set for 5:00 PM Philippine time, still under the global ban-pick format.
With both ONL and Aurora making massive strides this season, only one will walk away with their first-ever MDL crown—and the right to call themselves champions.
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