Another predator stalks the White Tiger at the Mobile Legends Professional League Indonesia (MPL ID) Season 8. But reigning champions EVOS Legends are not fazed. Not with their head coach Bjorn “Zeys” Ong at the helm.
The man who led EVOS Legends to the MPL ID crown in Seasons 4 and 7 singled out Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ) as the team to watch out for in the current edition, now at its midway mark.
“They have one of the most star-studded lineups at the moment,” Zeys told Ulti in an exclusive interview. “We shall see (how to deal with them) in (this season’s) MPL.”
The 27-year-old Singaporean coach remains upbeat about EVOS Legends’ chances despite falling 2-0 to RRQ in Week 3. It is a battle to tip the scales – the last 4 MPL titles have been equally shared between both sides.
Another showdown awaits in Week 8 when they next meet. Zeys’ men are now in 4th while RRQ are in 2nd.
For now, EVOS remain quietly confident about their chances of winning consecutive MPLs. The reigning champions have been on a roll recently. Following May’s MPL S7 win, a morale-boosting victory in the Nimo TV Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Arena Season 3 in early August was the perfect launch pad for MPL ID S8.
The secret sauce: Great management and strong cooperation between staff and players, said Zeys, who also streams games regularly on Facebook.
Yet, it could all have been so different had COVID-19 hit him harder. Poor health had impacted his stamina, and training sessions were cut short.
“It was a major setback. I was out of this world for a month or so,” admitted Zeys, who contracted the virus in June. “Training was affected but life goes on.”
But the M1 World Championship-winning coach resolved to recover quickly to help his team peak at the right time. His solution? Putting in “intense” hours upon his return. A proper sleep schedule also helped.
Esports shenanigans aside, he is having a “pretty fun” time in Indonesia since his post-COVID convalescence. “I’ve been going out on my own and exploring life,” he said.
Let’s see if he has found the perfect meta to guide EVOS Legends to consecutive MPL ID championships.
