In a surprising turn of events at the ONE Esports MPL Invitational 2023, Blacklist International, the runner-up from MLBB Pro League Philippines Season 12, has caught the spotlight by strategically fielding substitute players. And Blacklist’s head coach Kristoffer “Bon Chan” Ricaplaza has unveiled the tactical reasoning behind the team’s unconventional lineup in the competition.
The coach elaborated on their strategy, emphasizing the importance of affording the primary lineup ample time for preparation and rest leading up to the imminent M5 World in the Philippines. Beyond shedding light on the lineup strategy, He provided key insights into the team’s performance in the invitational event and pinpointed specific areas earmarked for improvement.
In a post-match interview on the opening day of MPLI 2023 with ONE Esports, he disclosed that the team had encountered restrictions from Moonton, preventing their involvement in unofficial events.
“We’ve been eagerly awaiting this opportunity because, initially, our plan was to participate in other tournaments while our primary five focused on MPL. Unfortunately, we were prohibited from joining non-Moonton hosted tournaments. Hence, we’ve eagerly awaited a tournament where our second unit could showcase their prowess,” said Bon Chan.
Despite these challenges, he expressed gratitude for finally participating in the long-anticipated MPLI 2023, a platform that has provided a timely opportunity to assess the capabilities of their secondary team.
“The MPLI serves as a period for the first five to recuperate and gear up for the impending M5. In the last MPL PH, we fell short, particularly in the hero pool. So, that’s the strategy we’ve adopted,” he elucidated.
Moreover, Bon Chan acknowledged the imperative need for Blacklist International to fortify their team chemistry, identifying slight communication issues during gameplay. Nevertheless, he is satisfied with the current MPLI 2023 lineup’s performance.
