SK Telecom T1 2 - bbq Olivers 1
SK Telecom T1 finally ended its five-match losing streak with a 2-1 win over bbq Olivers on Wednesday in League of Legends Champions Korea.
While it may have claimed victory, it wasn't exactly pretty for SKT. Despite showing up ready to play with a fairly dominant win in the first game, it seemed as though SKT had fallen back into its losing ways in the next two games.
The Olivers set out with a clear plan of scaling into the late game of Game 2 and after 74 minutes, it paid off. SKT may have put up a fight on the back of strong performances from Bae "Bang" Jun-sik's Sivir and Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok's Azir, but bbq was an objective powerhouse throughout the marathon game, picking up a whopping seven dragons (including four Elder Dragons), four Barons, and an unheard of 12 inhibitors to outlast SKT.
In the opening minutes of the final game, bbq punished SKT's rookies, top laner Park "Thal" Kwon-hyuk on Gangplank and jungler Park "Blossom" Beom-chan on Jarvan IV, with impunity for an early lead. This time around, however, SKT remained composed and built up a lead through objective control of its own. This allowed it to set up for one final teamfight 31 minutes in that locked up the much-needed win.
Despite the positive result, it remains to be seen if the team is truly back to form. The win was well and good, but there's still plenty of weaknesses, namely in the top lane and jungle. The play of rookies Thal and Blossom was enough to earn a win over bbq but will not be enough when the team faces tougher competition.
Speaking of tougher competition, SKT, now 2-5, will have its work cut out for it against KSV eSports at 3 a.m. ET on Sunday, while bbq, also at 2-5, will look for the bounce-back win over MVP at 6 a.m. ET on Saturday.
--Wyatt Donigan
Kingzone DragonX 2 - KT Rolster 0
Kingzone DragonX continued its romp through League of Legends Champions Korea with a dominating 2-0 win over KT Rolster on Wednesday.
After losing the opening match of the Spring Split, Kingzone has been on an absolute tear. While it may have been swept by KSV eSports in that opening series, Kingzone is now on a 12-game win streak as it has breezed through the rest of its competition with ease.
Right off the bat, Kingzone took an early lead in Game 1 that it never relinquished. After a slow start in the opening 12 minutes, it only took two kills from Kingzone to gain complete control, ending the 32-minute win with a massive 12-to-3 kill lead while giving up no objectives whatsoever.
KT tried to put up a bit of a fight in the second frame, picking up a couple of towers and dragons, but it wasn't long before Kingzone again wrestled away control of the game on the back of decisive macro play and punishing teamfights, locking up the 2-0 sweep.
Kingzone's top laner Kim "Khan" Dong-ha showed off on Camille in Game 2 with a 6/2/9 KDA (kills/deaths/assists) and jungler Han "Peanut" Wang-ho was deathless throughout the whole series on his way to a 6/0/19 KDA, while mid laner Gwak "Bdd" Bo-seong dominated the mid lane and notched a 9/3/11 KDA across both games. With the Kingzone attack coming from all angles, it looks as though it'll be quite some time before a team is able to take it down.
Kingzone, now 6-1 will look to make it seven in a row against Jin Air Green Wings at 3 a.m. ET on Saturday, while KT, falling to 5-2, will hope for a bounce-back win against Kongdoo Monster at 6 a.m. ET on Sunday.
--Wyatt Donigan