The Pacific Stage 2 has drawn to a close, and the lineup of four teams to bypass the Play-Ins and move directly to the playoffs was not finalized until the final day of action.
Each team played just one match in the final matchweek of the group stage, and the results were as follows:
-
DetonatioN FocusMe
DetonatioN FocusMe
Japan
Rank #3
Meiy
Ibuki Seki
SSeeS
Tomonori Okimura
yatsuka
Kazuya Ikeda
Caedye
Amon Mateus Okakura
Akame
Yu Gwang-hui (유광희)
2-0
Team Secret
Team Secret
Asia-Pacific
Rank #85
kellyS
Kelly Sedillo
natz
Jonathan Adiputra
STYRON
Tidus Goh
Zeus
Jhian Vega
Sylvan
Go Young-sup (고영섭)
-
Gen.G
Gen.G
Korea
Rank #1
Ash
Ha Hyun-cheol (하현철)
Karon
Kim Won-tae (김원태)
t3xture
Kim Na-ra (김나라)
Efina
Kim Nak-yeon (김낙연)
Raxcal
Kim Min-seok (김민석)
2-1
FULL SENSE
FULL SENSE
Asia-Pacific
Rank #13
Killua
Tanate Teerasawad
primmie
Papaphat Sriprapha
JitBoyS
Jittana Nokngam
seph1roth
Chinnakrit Phoojaroen
Crws
Thanamethk Mahatthananuyut
-
T1
T1
Korea
Rank #4
stax
Kim Gu-taek (김구택)
Meteor
Kim Tae-oh (김태오)
BuZz
Yu Byeong-cheol (유병철)
DH
Kang Dong-ho (강동호)
iZu
Ham Woo-ju (함우주)
Munchkin
Byeon Sang-beom (변상범)
2-0
KIWOOM DRX
KIWOOM DRX
Korea
Rank #6
MaKo
Kim Myeong-gwan (김명관)
free1ng
No Ha-jun (노하준)
HYUNMIN
Song Hyun-min (송현민)
Flicker
Kim Tae-hee (김태희)
BeYN
Kang Ha-bin (강하빈)
-
Global Esports
Global Esports
Asia-Pacific
Rank #4
PatMen
Patrick Mendoza
UdoTan
Go Kyung-won (고경원)
Kr1stal
Savva Fedorov
xavi8k
Xavier Juan
Autumn
Kale Dunne
2-0
ZETA DIVISION
ZETA DIVISION
Japan
Rank #10
Absol
Kazuki Fujinoki
SyouTa
Shota Aoki
SugarZ3ro
Shota Watanabe
eKo
Yeom Wang-ryong (염왕룡)
Xdll
Yuto Mizomori
-
VARREL
VARREL
Japan
Rank #1
Foxy9
Jung Jae-sung (정재성)
C1ndeR
Ko Jae-hyuk (고재혁)
Klaus
Kim Min-hyuk (김민혁)
XuNa
Kim Tae-geon (김태건)
oonzmlp
Shin Sang-beom (신상범)
Zexy
Jang Suk-hyun (장석현)
2-0
Paper Rex
Paper Rex
Asia-Pacific
Rank #1
invy
Adrian Jiggs Reyes
Jinggg
Wang Jing Jie
f0rsakeN
Jason Susanto
d4v41
Khalish Rusyaidee
something
Ilya Petrov
-
Rex Regum Qeon
Rex Regum Qeon
Asia-Pacific
Rank #5
Monyet
Cahya Nugraha
xffero
David Monangin
Xan
Xan Ng
Jemkin
Maksim Batorov
Kushy
Bryan Carlos Setiawan
crazyguy
Ngô Công Anh
2-1
Nongshim RedForce
Nongshim RedForce
Korea
Rank #2
WoohyuN
Moon Woo-hyun (문우현)
Xross
Jeonghwan (정환)
Rb
Goo Sang-min (구상민)
Francis
Kim Mu-bin (김무빈)
Dambi
Lee Hyuk-kyu (이혁규)
Ivy
Park Sung-hyeon (박성현)
Here are the final standings from the group stage:
Group Alpha
1. Gen.G (5-0)
Are they back? Gen.G continued its hot streak of form by defeating FULL SENSE in three maps. The win was a tight one, with the Tiger Nation holding just a four-round advantage across the whole series. While the Korean side's 5-0 record shows off a flawless run through the group stage, the last two wins have been tighter, with Gen.G having a negative round differential in the earlier 2-1 win over Global Esports. A reinvented Gen.G has looked clean, with Karon excelling in his original Controller role, Ash shining in the Neon-only role, and Raxcal making strides in his rookie campaign.
It's an eco, but my goodness, Karon.2. Global Esports (3-2)
With a 2-0 win over ZETA DIVISION, Global did everything it could in hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. The match was a tight one that could have been one round away from going in favor of either team, but it was UdoTan 's side that had the advantage thanks to a match-high 50-kill outing from him. Due to losing its head-to-head advantage earlier in the stage, GE needed a Nongshim RedForce later in the week and got it, meaning it will go straight into the playoffs.
UdoTan with a 1v3 ace that ended up being crucial on Split.3. ZETA DIVISION (2-3)
Despite its loss to GE, ZETA enters the Play-Ins with some wind in its sails. The team has looked strong in Stage 2, picking up wins over RRQ and FS while also showing bright moments against the likes of Nongshim and Gen.G. ZETA ended the group stage in a three-way tie with NS and RRQ, but sits on top thanks to an advantage in head-to-head map differential. ZETA will take on the winner of KRX and
ONSIDE GAMING
ONSIDE GAMING
Korea
Rank #5
Xiesta
Jung Si-hwan (정시환)
loan
Hermes
Ahn Byeong-wook (안병욱)
Ray
Oh Eun-hyuk (오은혁)
Cloudy
Koo Min-jae (구민재)
Wolverine
Cho Hyun-tae (조현태)
in the second round of the Play-Ins.
4. Nongshim RedForce (2-3)
While a 2-3 showing has sealed a trip to the Play-Ins for the Masters Santiago winners, the consolation for the Korean side must be that it could have been much worse. In the midst of an identity crisis of sorts, the team started the group stage 0-2, but has bounced back after polishing some of its rough edges. However, a three-map loss to an out-of-form RRQ does ring some alarms. Nongshim will take on the winner of Secret and a red-hot
Xipto Esports
Xipto Esports
Asia-Pacific
Rank #22
canady
Napatr Worajak
doffy
Worlalop Thangsiri
aLerT
Wattanachok Yingnakorn
Surf
Thanachart Rungapajaratkul
endoist
Natthanon Ammaree
in the second round.
5. Rex Regum Qeon (2-3)
After starting the stage 0-3, RRQ has bounced back by winning two straight. The team seems to have shifted away from an experimental six-man roster, with
Kushy
relegated to the bench in favor of rookie
Xan
. While RRQ is picking up steam, it was too little, too late. The team will go head-to-head with
Sharper Esports
Sharper Esports
Asia-Pacific
Rank #2
Kadoom
Kantapong Kingthong
Apinya
Apinya Laotaew
Laz
Kittikawin Jirawatkakan
PTC
Kititkawin Rattanasukol
NIZ
in the opening round of the Play-Ins.
6. FULL SENSE (1-4)
After starting Stage 2 with an emphatic win over Nongshim in
FrosT
's reunification with the
TALON
TALON
Inactive
Killua
Tanate Teerasawad
thyy
Anupong Preamsak
Crws
Thanamethk Mahatthananuyut
JitBoyS
Jittana Nokngam
primmie
Papaphat Sriprapha
core, FULL SENSE's form has taken a nose dive of sorts. The Thai squad is winless since then, falling from one of the region's top teams in Stage 1 to one of the worst now. FULL SENSE will open the playoffs against Japanese Challengers side
QT DIG∞
QT DIG∞
Japan
Rank #4
Kippei
Misaya
yuran
Yushin Hato
Pkm
Park Kang-min (박강민)
margaret
Kim Ji-woo (김지우)
.
Group Omega
1. VARREL (4-1)
If Gen.G has been the story of Group Alpha, VARREL has been the runaway story in Group Omega. After entering Stage 2 without a VCT win, Foxy9 appears to have breathed new life into the team, leading the team to a 4-1 record that is capped off by a 2-0 over PRX. The former Gen.G and DRX man ended the group stage with the highest rating and ACS in the region at 1.22 and 249, respectively. VARREL will now enter the playoffs with a real possibility of reaching Champs, just months after finishing dead last in Stage 1.
Sharp shooting from XuNa to get VL on the board on Split.2. Paper Rex (3-2)
Despite losing its final group stage match, Paper Rex advances to the playoffs thanks to some good fortune. A three-way tie with T1 and DFM, with all three teams beating one and losing to the other, has ended with PRX on top thanks to its win over DFM coming in two maps. To PRX, a finish in Stage 2 is not quite as important. The team has long had its Champions Shanghai ticket punched, and has been easing through the group stage with visibly lower pressure.
3. DetonatioN FocusMe (3-2)
With a 3-2 record, DFM has achieved its best-ever finish in a group stage in third place. After starting 0-2 with losses to triple-Duelist KRX and PRX, DFM has won three straight, picking up an impressive win over group leaders VARREL, and taking care of business against T1 and Team Secret. DFM finishes above T1 thanks to an advantage in head-to-head round differential, walking away from its T1 series with a +14 advantage. DFM will take on the winner of RRQ and SEA champions
Sharper Esports
Sharper Esports
Asia-Pacific
Rank #2
Kadoom
Kantapong Kingthong
Apinya
Apinya Laotaew
Laz
Kittikawin Jirawatkakan
PTC
Kititkawin Rattanasukol
NIZ
in the second round of the playoffs.
4. T1 (3-2)
T1 ended the group stage with a dominant 2-0 win over a collapsing KIWOOM DRX, but will still have to go through the Play-Ins after finishing below PRX and DFM in the three-way tie. A shifting of personnel has seen T1's form go up and down. DH 's return to the main roster hasn't had quite the same success it did last year, with the rest of the team also shifting roles. stax , who DH replaced, didn't just return in the team's final group stage match, but returned as the IGL while in the Controller role. What version of T1 we see in the Play-Ins will remain to be seen, as T1 will open play after a first-round bye. T1 will take on the winning team between FULL SENSE and QT DIG in the second round.
5. Team Secret (1-4)
After showing promise in its opening series against VARREL and then in a 2-0 win over KRX, Team Secret has struggled to string together results. In three straight losses, Secret has failed to pick up a single map. In the opening round of the Play-Ins, Secret will go up against
Xipto Esports
Xipto Esports
Asia-Pacific
Rank #22
canady
Napatr Worajak
doffy
Worlalop Thangsiri
aLerT
Wattanachok Yingnakorn
Surf
Thanachart Rungapajaratkul
endoist
Natthanon Ammaree
, arguably the strongest Tier 2 team in Pacific from its days as
555
555
Inactive
canady
Napatr Worajak
doffy
Worlalop Thangsiri
aLerT
Wattanachok Yingnakorn
Surf
Thanachart Rungapajaratkul
endoist
Natthanon Ammaree
.
6. KIWOOM DRX (1-4)
Just weeks ago, KRX head coach
termi
used a triple-Duelist comp to capture an opening victory over DFM. Now, the triple-Duelist comp has been long abandoned, and the team has lost four straight with just one map victory. KRX has, arguably, never been in worse form. In the first round of the Play-Ins, KRX will go up against Korean champions
ONSIDE GAMING
ONSIDE GAMING
Korea
Rank #5
Xiesta
Jung Si-hwan (정시환)
loan
Hermes
Ahn Byeong-wook (안병욱)
Ray
Oh Eun-hyuk (오은혁)
Cloudy
Koo Min-jae (구민재)
Wolverine
Cho Hyun-tae (조현태)
, where former player
Hermes
and highly-touted youngster
Xiesta
will look to hit the ground running.
Up Next
The Play-Ins and the road to finals weekend in Busan will begin this week. With two matches per day and matchups in the Upper Semifinals and Lower Round 3 granting entry into the playoffs, every series will be best-of-three.
The Play-Ins matches are as follows:
- KIWOOM DRX vs. ONSIDE GAMING (Upper Round 1)
- Rex Regum Qeon vs. Sharper Esports (Upper Round 1)
- FULL SENSE vs. QT DIG∞ (Upper Round 1)
- Team Secret vs. Xipto Esports (Upper Round 1)
- ZETA DIVISION vs. KRX/ONG (Upper Round 2)
- DetonatioN FocusMe vs. RRQ/SP (Upper Round 2)
- T1 vs. FS/QTD (Upper Round 2)
- Nongshim RedForce vs. TS/XIP (Upper Round 2)





