LPU, San Sebastian dispute MLBB collegiate league finals spot

MANILA, Philippines — Unbeaten Lyceum of the Philippines University and No. 2 seed San Sebastian arranged a gigantic upper bracket finals duel as College of St. Benilde continued its magnificent run in the lower bracket approaching the much-awaited championship day of the Collegiate Center for Esports (CCE) Mobile Legends Season 1 this Thursday.

Picking up where they left off after topping the elims, the Pirates and the Golden Stags took care of their counterparts in two rounds to advance in the best-of-three upper bracket finale. 
The winner marches all the way to the best-of-five championship series.

The loser then gets one last title shot in another best-of-three clash against CSB Astra, who hacked out multiple do-or-die wins to stay alive in the race for the inaugural crown of CCE backed by Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and with Galaxy Racer as official Esports partner, Converge as connectivity partner, Mountain Dew as gaming fuel and Cyberzone as venue partner.

Fresh from a 9-0 wipeout of the elimination round, Lyceum slightly lost steam and tasted its first defeat against Arellano before showing steely resolve to earn a 2-1 win.

That paved the way for a more focused Pirates down the road as they made short work of Mapua in the next round to qualify in the UB Finals and shore up their drive to a follow-up of their championship in the Varsity Cup that served as CCE’s launching event last year.

San Sebastian had the same path after a 2-1 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College and a 2-0 victory against Colegio de San Juan de Letran on its way to a UB finale date with its rival.

But CSB stole the spotlight from UB contenders in the playoffs, shining the brightest, with a stellar run in the LB that featured tougher win-or-go-home elimination matches instead of best-of-three duels.

With its backs against the wall, the Astra defied the odds in three must-win matches in a row against Arellano U, Letran and eventually Mapua, which previously bumped them off right away in the upper bracket.

CSB bested Arellano in a tight duel that lasted 20 mins, 25-18, behind Alexandre Gabrielle “AK” Laverez’s Valentina that flashed an impressive 5/2/16 KDA.

Against Letran, Laverez was unstoppable anew with his Karina (11/2/7 KDA) as the Astra grinded out a win in 18 mins, 20-11, to set a rematch against Mapua that dispatched San Beda in another pairing.

Assuring CSB’s sweet revenge, Leonardo “Lee” Sison went berserk with a fiery Wanwan (14/1/9 KDA) display highlighted by a triple kill in the final clash for the win.

The Astra exacted vengeance on the Cardinals in convincing fashion as they only needed 13 mins in a lopsided 24-7 score to punch their ticket to the LB finals.

The highly anticipated championship of CCE, headed by Waiyip Chong as commissioner and Stanley Lao as president, will roll off Thursday live at the SM Mall of Asia Arena Music Hall in Pasay City.