MLBB: TNC Pro Team out of playoff contention for 4th straight season

The Phoenix Army is at dead last once again in the standings as TNC Pro Team is officially eliminated from playoff contention following their loss against RSG Philippines, 2-0.

This is their fifth overall season in the cellar, with their best performance ever happening in Season 9 when the team finished 3rd overall in the playoffs. This is also their 4th straight 8th place finish, starting from Season 10.

The game was marred by a familiar tempo of strong early fights as Cesar “Nomed” Sugarno led the way for the Phoenix Army with a 4-1 kill-assist record with his Lunox pick, contributing to their 10-5 early scoreline.

However, Arvie “Aqua” Antonio smoothened out the flow for the Raiders with a lord steal that led to a takedown of three TNC Pro Team heroes.

This proved to be the momentum changer that won RSG the 16-minute first game, as Dylan “Light” Catipon led his team with his Franco pick, with 2 kills and 10 assists.

From there, RSG dominated the second game with a 16-5 hot start, and the team did not get a single major objective. Dean “Raizen” Sumagui’s Barats got killed five times and only contributed 3 assists, while Czedrick “Super Yoshi” Romero’s Franco pick got downed four times.

TNC Pro Team Head Coach Ben “Benthings” Maglaque, in his coaching debut, was not spared of the same fate he tried to escape in the past few seasons he was playing for the Phoenix Army.

He believes focusing on the players individually could have helped the team make better strides and win more games.

“Before the MPL started, the players became so much independent and I was not able to guide them from the start when we were practicing,” Benthings told reporters in the post-match media scrum. 

He adds, if given one more shot at coaching next season, his goal is to keep tabs on all of his players individually.

“I’ll make sure to check and guide each player, so that our goal and what we do is aligned.”

Despite the result, Coach Benthings revealed that the TNC bosses gave them one final mission order: to finish the season strong.

TNC Pro Team will try to pull off an upset against ONIC Philippines on Friday, May 3rd, while RSG Philippines will try to defeat Minana EVOS for a top-three spot on the same day.