In the heart of the MLBB Pro League Philippines, Blacklist International, known as the regional’s powerhouse, finds itself grappling with defeat once more. As the curtains drew on the first matchday of the fourth week of MPL PH S13 regular season, questions arise: is this once indomitable force now navigating turbulent waters?
Yesterday, the Blacklist agents seemed clueless as RSG PH unleashed their meticulously crafted tactics, masterminded by none other than Arvie “Aqua” Calderon. Within a mere span of 27 minutes, Blacklist International failed to mount a significant resistance, culminating in a disheartening 0-2 series loss.
This setback has sent ripples of concern among the devoted followers of the team, as it marks Blacklist’s third crushing defeat this season. Just last Sunday, the team suffered similar fate against Onic Philippines and Echo. And in the second week, it caught off guard by TNC Pro, one of the worst performers in MPL PH at the moment.
Blacklist finds itself clinging to sixth place in the standings, with a mere one-point margin separating them from TNC Pro and Omega Esports, perilously close to the elimination zone. With the playoffs looming on the horizon, recalibrating tactics and fortifying mental resilience stand as paramount objectives.
Downfall of UBE?
Observers note with discernment that Blacklist appears to struggle without the leadership and flawless execution of the Ultimate Bonding Experience (UBE) strategy, synonymous with its iconic duo, Johnmar “OHMYV33NUS” Villaluna and Danerie “Wise” Rosario.
For those unfamiliar, UBE involves cohesive team movements orchestrated to perfection during pivotal team fights, with a strong support hero positioned in the backline, typically possessing a significant amount of healing or buff abilities.
Another important aspect of this strategy is the presence of a sturdy tank, capable of withstanding prolonged clashes to bolster the team’s defenses, thwarting any attempts to kill his team’s support or carry. Hence, the indispensability of the V33Wise duo in Blacklist’s strategy.
Following V33Wise’s hiatus from the MLBB competitive scene, Blacklist has been exploring options, trying out Salic “Hadji” Imam and Renejay “Renejay” Barcase as potential replacements, but without much success. Hadji is having a hard time finding his rhythm, while Renejay, a standout performer last season, decided to take an indefinite break.
This imbalance has hindered Blacklist’s quest to strike a balance between aggression and caution with its revamped lineup. And competitors in MPL PH have keenly observed these chinks in Blacklist’s armor.
In an interview yesterday, RSG PH head coach, Brian “Panda” Im Chang-Rok, articulated his observations, highlighting the absence of certain elements in Blacklist’s gameplay, particularly in terms of aggressiveness and its signature UBE strat.
“I kind of feel like they are lacking the aggressiveness because when you look at top-tier teams right now, like Echo, Bren, and Onic, all these teams have aggressiveness and they know how to initiate and fight right away.”
“The best way Blacklist would counter the enemy is the UBE strat, where they know how to punish the enemy,” Panda opined. “But their team right now is not 100% confident with the main roster, they are still trying to execute their strat. I think Blacklist needs more chemistry with their roamer.”
Blacklist is gearing up to take on the top dog, AP Bren, in the mid-season finale happening tomorrow, Sunday (4/14). With a huge gap in their current performance, it’s definitely going to be tough for Blacklist to pull off an upset against the reigning champs of the global scene.
