Maintaining the championship title in the top MLBB competition for three consecutive seasons and achieving victories in international contests in close succession is undoubtedly a challenging task for anyone. More often than not, popular names saw a dramatic drop in performance owing to the pressure of their fans’ high expectations, leaving only those with a strong winning mindset able to constantly uphold their performance. And this disparity in mental fortitude which distinguishes Onic Esports’ head coach, Paul “Yeb” Denver, from the rest.
Considering that no other team from the MPL region has matched this achievement thus far, Onic Esports’ three-peat achievement has clearly solidified the Filipino coach’s position as one of the finest MLBB head coaches in Southeast Asia. Additionally, key players such as Nicky “Kiboy” Fernando, Gilang “Sanz,” and Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol have consistently been the most valuable players in major games over the past year, thanks to his guidance.
The consistent performance of these high-caliber players has led Onic Esports to a remarkable 2023, securing victories in MPL ID S11, MSC 2023, and MPL ID S12. Their dominance eventually led some spectators to believe that Onic has no real competition in Indonesia and can easily overcome anyone on autopilot. However, Yeb disagrees with this viewpoint and thinks that the local competition has made significant strides.
Speaking to Ulti Asia, Yeb revealed that the recent playoffs of MPL ID S12 demonstrated the strength of their competitors, who appeared capable of surpassing anyone, particularly Geek Fam, which currently boasts two Filipino players, Allen “Baloyskie” Baloy and Mark “Markyyy” Capacio. He believes they deserved their spot in the grand finals due to their outstanding tactics and mentality.
“This season has been our toughest yet. The regular season was unpredictable. Many had already figured out how to outsmart us, so we devised new tactics and bolstered our mindset,” he stated. “Our match against Geek was highly intense. They possess exceptional players, especially Baloy and Marky, with a remarkable mentality. Their teamwork was impressive, a significant improvement from the previous season.”
Beyond the intense competition level this season, Yeb acknowledged that one of the most challenging hurdles arose from within their own team. He explained that maintaining the players’ mentality and staying abreast of the current meta posed a challenge in their quest for a three-peat in the MPL ID.
“As I mentioned earlier, this season has been our most challenging yet. While tough opponents certainly played a part, I believe our most formidable challenge stemmed from ourselves. Frankly, I had to deal with the egos and mentality of our players who had won competitions this season, ensuring none succumbed to star syndrome. I had to humble them to preserve their high competitive spirit. This, coupled with this season’s meta, has presented my greatest challenge.”
At the moment, he and his team are committed to utilizing the upcoming two-week break to the fullest before heading to the Philippines for the fifth MLBB World Series in November. Securing victory on their home turf would undoubtedly serve as a satisfying conclusion to the season for Yeb.
