Blacklist International is gearing up, bracing for what looms to be an all-Filipino showdown in the grand finals of the Mobile Legends Southeast Asian Cup 2023 set from 10 to 18 June at the Aeon Mall Mean Chey in Phnom Penh.
Bannered by Johnmar “OhMyV33nus” Villaluna, Danerie James “Wise” del Rosario, Blacklist is tipped to reign supreme in the Group Stage against Team Occupy of Egypt and TODAK of Malaysia.
Blacklist coach Aniel “Master The Basics” Jiandani said they will show up prepared as they are eager to bounce back from a dismal finish in the Mobile Legends Professional League Philippines Season 11.
“We are studying our errors in the MPL Season 11 Philippines grand finals,” said Master The Basics, who will also bank on Kenneth “Yue” Tadeo, Lee “Owl” Gonzales, Edward “EDWARD” Dapadap and Renejay “RENEJAY” Barcase.
“We had a good run in the Playoffs but we came up short. We are studying and adjusting those so that it would not happen again.”
Blacklist has yet to win over ECHO in the past two major tournaments.
They lost to ECHO via 0-4 sweep in the grand finals of the M4 Mobile Legends World Championship last January before suffering yet another 0-4 loss in the grand finals of the MPL Philippines Season 11 last month.
OhMyV33nus said adjustments would have to be made inside and outside the game to finally beat ECHO.
“Aside from the in-game adjustments that we have to improve, we also have to improve what happens outside like the mental aspect,” the Blacklist skipper said.
“It is mentally crushing to lose that way in the finals. It is one of those things that we are preparing for, and personally, that is where I am focused now.”
While the team is eager to prove that they can actually beat ECHO, Master The Basics refused to weigh in on their chances for now.
“For now we cannot talk about our confidence yet because we have not completed our preparations for MSC,” he said.
“Only after we are done that we can say how confident we are.”
