NAOS Esports celebrates after bagging the Valorant Challengers Philippines - Split 2 championship trophy at the SMX Convention Center on the heels of CONQuest 2023. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA - NAOS Esports will be the country's representative to the Valorant Challengers' League - Ascension tournament after a thrilling 3-2 victory against Oasis Gaming during the Grand Finals of the VCL - Philippines (Split 2) held at the SMX Convention Center.
NAOS, packing their Split 1 championship team, will battle teams from all over Asia-Pacific to get a franchise slot in VCT Pacific 2024 and 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand.
It seemed like a repeat of Split 1 where NAOS Esports pulled the rug from under title favorites Oasis, who were coming off a bronze medal run in the 2022 SEA Games, for the crown.
In Map 5 (Lotus) Oasis held an early 4-0 lead. After the timeout, NAOS erupted with a 5-0 rampage, before both sides ended the half of the map tied at 6.
With NAOS defending the site, they managed to get defuse wins, some of which included barely uncontested retake rounds that would shift the momentum in their favor throughout.
Jerome "Mojer" Literal went ham with a 1v1 square-off to bring the series to match point, before NAOS went for the elimination win to clinch the championship.
NAOS was the dark horse of the tournament after Oasis sunk them down to the lower bracket.
VCL - Ascension will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from June 28 to July 9, with the playoffs held offline at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.