TNC edges past AP.Bren as Team Liquid, ONIC PH clinch playoff spots
Photo from MPL Philippines / Richard Esguerra
TNC edges past AP.Bren as Team Liquid, ONIC PH clinch playoff spots
MAKATI – Three teams earn crucial victories as MPL Philippines Season 16 heated up on Saturday at the Green Sun Hotel.
TNC Pro Team grabbed a vital win against AP.Bren to stay alive in the playoff race, while Team Liquid PH swept Smart Omega, and ONIC Philippines took down Twisted Minds PH to officially secure their playoff berths.
Phoenix Army stops the Hive
TNC Pro Team opened the series on a rough note after falling to AP.Bren in a 25-minute slugfest. Arvie “Aqua” Calderon’s Angela led the Hive to victory, earning MVP honors with a 2/2/12 KDA and several well-timed Heart Guard ultimates that turned key fights.
A decisive clash at the 24-minute mark sealed Game 1 for AP.Bren, as James “JamesPangks” Mendoza scored two kills to close it out.
But TNC answered back in Game 2. Benedict “Bennyqt” Gonzales dominated with his Cici, finishing with eight kills and eight assists in a 21-minute win to force a decider. His final teamfight wipe secured TNC’s momentum heading into Game 3.
The series finale turned into a war of attrition. AP.Bren nearly closed the game at the 19-minute mark after securing the Lord, but failed to finish the job. TNC capitalized, wiping four AP.Bren members in a counter-clash, leaving only Aqua’s Angela alive.
From there, TNC secured the Lord and ended the series a minute later. Lance “LanceCy” Cunanan’s Kimmy took MVP honors with a 4/1/12 KDA.
TNC will next face Aurora Gaming on Sunday, while AP.Bren takes on Team Falcons on the same day
Cavalry conquered the Barangay
Team Liquid PH came in firing, dismantling Smart Omega in just 10 minutes to start the series. Karl Gabriel “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno starred with a flawless 5/0/3 Lancelot, while Kiel “Oheb” Soriano’s Granger exploded for eight kills and three assists.
Liquid controlled all three Turtles and destroyed every Omega turret, setting the tone early.
Game 2 was a tighter affair, lasting 25 minutes as Omega mounted a strong defense. Salic “Hadji” Imam’s Zhuxin recorded three kills and six assists, while Czedrick “SuperYoshi” Romero’s Arlott landed clutch Conceal–Final Slash combos to keep Omega alive.
However, Liquid closed it out near the Lord pit after wiping Omega’s defenses clean. Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya’s Phoveus finished with four kills and 10 assists, earning the MVP nod as Team Liquid sealed the sweep.
Team Liquid PH will face Team Falcons PH next Saturday, while Smart Omega meets ONIC PH on Friday.
ONIC PH bounces back against Twisted Minds
ONIC Philippines wasted no time asserting dominance, blasting Twisted Minds PH in just 12 minutes in Game 1. Frince “SuperFrince” Ramirez’s Kimmy shone with four kills and five assists, while ONIC limited their opponents to just one turret the entire match.
Game 2 proved more competitive as Miguel “Sionnn” Alcantara’s Kimmy put up seven kills and four assists to keep Twisted Minds in the fight. But ONIC’s composure paid off — a mispositioned engagement near the Lord pit allowed them to force a decisive team fight.
With King Cyric “K1NGKONG” Perez leading the charge, ONIC marched straight to the exposed base to close the 2-0 sweep.
The win secured ONIC PH’s spot in the playoffs with two games to spare. They’ll take on Smart Omega next Saturday, while Twisted Minds will face TNC Pro Team in a must-win matchup to keep their postseason hopes alive.
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