AP.Bren, Twisted Minds PH secure debut wins; ONIC PH sweeps Team Liquid PH in S15 finals rematch

AP.Bren, Twisted Minds PH secure debut wins; ONIC PH sweeps Team Liquid PH in S15 finals rematch

MAKATI — The second day of the MPL Philippines Season 16 heated up at the Green Sun Hotel as three matches delivered storylines to watch.

AP.Bren started strong with a 2-1 victory over Smart Omega, while Twisted Minds PH pulled off an upset sweep of Team Falcons PH. Meanwhile, ONIC PH got their revenge in a straight-sets win against Team Liquid PH in last season’s grand finals rematch.

Hive swarms the Barangay

AP.Bren opened their campaign with a 15-6 win in a 22-minute clash against Omega. Jan Carl “Shizou” Valdez starred with eight kills on the Moskov, while rookie Denniel Denison “xNova” Gomez impressed in his MPL debut with two kills and 11 assists on the Gatotkaca.

But Omega’s Dean Christian “Raizen” Sumagui answered back in Game 2, tallying five kills and eight assists to force a decider. Kenneth “Netskie” Barro’s Harith also came alive with a 7/3/4 performance.

AP.Bren sealed the series in Game 3 behind xNova’s playmaking Khufra, setting up crucial initiations en route to a near-20-minute victory. Arvie “Aqua” Calderon’s Selena added five assists, while James “JamesPangks” Mendoza’s Lancelot notched five kills. Despite Salic “Hadji” Imam’s best efforts on Pharsa, Omega failed to secure a single Lord across all three games.

Twist of fate for Falcons

Debutants Twisted Minds PH shocked the league by sweeping Team Falcons PH in their MPL opener.

Game 1 was a 15-minute blitz, ending 24-9 in favor of TWIS. Michael “MP The King” Endino orchestrated the tempo with a 7/1/11 Lancelot outing, while Mico “NOSIA” Capil exploded for 14 kills on the Granger. Rookie John Carlo “Caloy” Roma piled on 12 assists with the Kalea to round out a dominant team effort.

In Game 2, Miguel “Sionnn” Alcantara made his presence felt with four kills and four assists on Selena. MP The King added four more on Yi Sun-shin as TWIS wrapped up the upset. Meanwhile, Rowgien “Owgwen” Unigo struggled on Hylos, falling five times without impact.

The loss is a blow for Falcons, who now quickly pivot to international duty in the IESF World Esports Championship Asian Qualifiers.

Halting the Liquid stampede

The day’s headliner saw ONIC Philippines deliver a statement sweep over Team Liquid PH, avenging last season’s finals defeat.

Game 1 was a rout as Duane “Kelra” Pillas’ Bruno shredded TLPH with a 7/0/4 stat line, backed by Brusko’s 10 assists on Hylos. Team Liquid mustered only two kills in a 13-minute stomp.

Game 2 was tighter, with Liquid hanging close until the second Lord spawned. King Cyric “K1NGKONG” Perez took over, cutting down Jaypee “Jaypee” dela Cruz’s Gatotkaca before swinging momentum with a crucial kill on Karl Gabriel “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno’s Yi Sun-shin. Frince “SuperFrince” Ramirez then nailed a pivotal pickoff on KarlTzy in the 19th minute, sealing the Cavalry’s fate as ONIC closed out the sweep.

What’s next

Day 3 promises fireworks as AP.Bren and Twisted Minds PH — both fresh off wins — clash in a showdown of former MDL Philippines champions.

Meanwhile, Team Liquid PH and TNC Pro Team face off in search of their first win of Season 16.

About Author

Drew Malihan

Drew sucks at FPS games but loves watching PUBG and VALORANT. He found his way into esports through MLBB and HOK, and will die on the hill that Football Manager and even Excel deserve to be esports titles—despite not being good at any of them.

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