Blacklist International overcomes Impunity, advances in HOK Invitational S3 semifinals
Photo from HOK Global Esports
Blacklist International overcomes Impunity, advances in HOK Invitational S3 semifinals
QUEZON CITY – Hometown favorites Blacklist International sent the SM North EDSA’s The Block Atrium crowd home on a high note, staging a thrilling reverse sweep to eliminate Myanmar’s Impunity in the Honor of Kings Invitational Season 3 knockout stage.
After falling into an early 0-2 hole, the Codebreakers found their rhythm, winning four straight games to cap off an electrifying Day 1 of the playoffs.
Megumi, XiaoLin Shine in Impunity’s Early Surge
Blacklist International struggled at the start, dropping Game 1 in a hard-fought 10-3 defeat after nearly 20 minutes of play. The match remained close in the early stages, but Impunity pulled ahead past the halfway mark behind Kyaw “Megumi” Than Oo’s Zhang Fei, who tallied one kill and eight assists to set the tone.
Game 2 was even more dominant for Impunity, as Sai “XiaoLin” Saim Imm Kham’s Angela pick proved pivotal, dealing nearly a quarter of the team’s total damage while contributing one kill and six assists. The Burmese squad took full control after the first major objective, securing a commanding 2-0 series lead.
Blacklist Begins the Comeback
Facing elimination, Blacklist refused to back down. Chammy Paul “Chammy1” Nazarrea stepped up in Game 3, leading the charge with seven kills and eight assists on Dharma in a tense 20-minute battle.
Impunity attempted a late-game resurgence at the 16-minute mark, but Blacklist’s final Overlord secured the win.
The momentum shifted further in Game 4, as Dragon Hart “Dragon” Dajao’s Gan & Mo delivered a clutch 3/2/3 KDA performance in another 20-minute thriller.
Impunity had an opportunity to seal the series after a crucial team fight, but Chammy1 capitalized on a mistake from XiaoLin’s Princess Frost, turning the tide and evening the series at 2-2.
The Codebreakers Complete the Reverse Sweep
With the momentum firmly in their hands, Blacklist took full control of the series.
In Game 5, Charles Roman “Chazz” Esguerra’s Zhang Fei led the squad to a dominant 8-2 victory, assisting seven kills without a single death. Megumi and Hein “AhXing” Htet Naing struggled, as their Ming and Kaizer picks failed to secure a single takedown.
Blacklist then sealed the deal in Game 6, securing a 9-5 win in just 15 minutes. Dragon’s Da Xiao put up a solid 1/1/8 performance, while Justine Ritchie “Juschie” Tan’s Pei shined with five kills and two assists in a wire-to-wire victory.
What’s Next for the Filipino Squads?
Blacklist International will now await the winner of the highly anticipated clash between Korean powerhouse Nongshim RedForce and fellow Filipino squad Elevate, scheduled for Thursday.
The upcoming match will be a tough test for Elevate, as Nongshim RedForce remains unbeaten in the tournament and is looking to maintain its perfect run.
Meanwhile, Nongshim looks for another Filipino team to take down after defeating Rough World Era 3-1 in the group stage.
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