Falcons, Twisted Minds clinch playoff spots; Omega bows out after loss to Aurora
Photo from MPL Philippines / Richard Esguerra
Falcons, Twisted Minds clinch playoff spots; Omega bows out after loss to Aurora
MAKATI — The MPL Philippines Season 16 playoff picture is now complete as three more teams punched their tickets on Saturday’s triple-header inside the Green Sun Hotel.
Twisted Minds PH booked their postseason berth after a hard-fought 2–1 victory over TNC Pro Team, while Team Falcons PH completed a dramatic late-season surge with a statement win over Team Liquid PH — overtaking Smart Omega, who bowed out following their loss to Aurora Gaming.
Twisted fate for TWIS
TNC Pro Team opened strong in Game 1 behind Justin “Zaida” Palma’s stellar Hayabusa, who tallied a 10/1/5 KDA and secured several key pickoffs to give TNC the early lead. Despite multiple chances to close out the game, Twisted Minds managed to hold on until the 17th minute, when Frediemar “3Mar” Serafico’s Alice caught two TNC players with Throne of Ruin, setting up a decisive turnaround and a comeback win.
Twisted Minds retaliated with authority in Game 2, dominating 16–4 in just 14 minutes. John Carlo “Caloy” Roma’s Grock anchored the defense with 0/1/14, while Michael “MPTheKing” Endino bounced back from a quiet opener with a clean 3/0/4 Hayabusa outing.
Caloy continued his strong showing in the deciding match, once again on Grock, leading a 10-minute rout that saw Twisted Minds shut down TNC’s unorthodox roam Helcurt strategy. Joshua “Ch4knu” Mangilog went 0/3/0 on the pick, while Benedict “Bennyqt” Gonzales’ Natan managed TNC’s only two kills before falling several levels behind entering the first Lord fight.
Aurora extends streak to 13
Top-seeded Aurora Gaming maintained their relentless form with a 2–0 sweep over Smart Omega, extending their win streak to 13 and tying ONIC Philippines’ record from Season 14.
Aurora drew first blood in a tense 26-minute Game 1. Jan Dominic “Domengkite” del Mundo’s Harith spearheaded the charge with a 10/1/9 KDA, while Omega controlled four of five Lords but failed to convert their 3,000-gold advantage.
In Game 2, Kenneth “Yue” Tadeo took over with Novaria, leading Aurora to a commanding 7–2 victory before the 11-minute mark. Aurora punished Omega’s missteps with precise rotations and objective control, locking down the sweep and putting the Barangay’s playoff hopes in jeopardy.
Aurora’s victory not only secured their unbeaten streak but also confirmed TNC Pro Team’s qualification for the playoffs.
Falcons soar into playoffs
The final match of the day saw Team Falcons PH complete their late-season resurgence, outlasting Team Liquid PH in a 2–1 thriller to clinch the last playoff seat.
Game 1 went the distance at 24 minutes, with Michael “KyleTzy” Sayson’s Yi Sun-shin carrying the Falcons with an 8/2/9 performance. Despite being down in objectives, Falcons held firm in defense and turned the tide in the fourth Lord fight to steal the win.
Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya reminded everyone of his prowess in Game 2, leading Team Liquid’s retaliation with a dominant Lapu-Lapu (3/0/8) performance in a clean 12-minute victory that evened the series.
However, Falcons refused to fold in the decider. Despite trailing in kills, the defending champions made every teamfight count, turning a crucial clash in the 21st minute that saw Jaypee “Jaypee” dela Cruz and Sanford taken down.
With a 5v3 advantage, Falcons stormed Liquid’s base to seal the 2–1 series win and leapfrog Omega into the final playoff spot — marking their third consecutive victory. Smart Omega meanwhile will miss out the playoffs for the second time in a row.
Team Liquid PH, now fighting for an upper bracket position, will close their season against AP.Bren and will need both a win and an ONIC PH loss to TNC to secure the second seed.
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