Team Secret stuns KRX for first VCT Pacific Stage 2 win
MANILA, Philippines — Team Secret concluded the opening week of the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) Pacific Stage 2 on a high note after completing a stunning 2-0 upset of South Korean squad KRX Sunday night at the Sangam Colosseum in Seoul, South Korea.
Once an all-Filipino roster when Valorant's partnership era began in 2023, Team Secret has undergone several roster changes over the years. The most recent overhaul saw longtime veteran Jessie "JessieVash" Cuyco leave the team ahead of Stage 2, alongside Filipino head coach Jose Carlo "Rbtx" Jamir and player Dwine "Rimuru" Enriquez.
Remaining from the previous lineup are Filipino standouts Kelly "kellyS" Sedillo and Jhian "Zeus" Vega.
Just a day before the start of Stage 2, Team Secret unveiled its revamped roster, adding Indonesian player Jonathan "natz" Adiputra and Singaporean Tidus "STYRON" Goh under new head coach Peter "Spin" Bradford, who previously handled Global Esports.
The team's lack of experience together was evident in its opening match against South Korea's VARREL. Team Secret fell behind early in the series and showed signs of nerves on stage. Though it managed to secure Haven and force a third map, it eventually dropped the match, 1-2.
But against KRX, Team Secret looked like a completely different squad.
The Philippine-based organization opened the series with a dominant performance on KRX's map pick, Sunset, cruising to a convincing 13-4 victory. Team Secret then carried that momentum into Haven, building another comfortable lead before closing out the map, 13-7, to complete the sweep.
"We had a plan. We executed the plan. The result was exactly as we pictured it. To be honest, I feel like they underestimated us. I don't think they thought that we were a threat,” said Bradford during the post-match interview.
The victory marked a major bounce-back performance for Team Secret and showcased the potential of its newly assembled roster.
Bradford, however, believes the team is still far from reaching its full potential.
"There's a lot of room to grow. We haven't been together long enough to be confident that we all know what's the correct thing to do in situations," he said.
The British coach noted that the biggest difference between the KRX series and the team's loss to VARREL was the players' composure on stage.
"In the VARREL game, we were a little bit nervous on stage for the first time. Making mistakes, running around headless chickens at times. Today was not that at all. When we play like that, and win in dominant fashion, it gives so much confidence to the boys. That mentality is what's going to make the difference." added Bradford.
Sedillo echoed his coach's sentiments, expressing confidence in the direction of the team despite only recently coming together.
"For me personally, this is the best roster, the best coaching staff I've had in this team. There's a lot of potential for this roster. I think we're heading in the right direction." said Sedillo.
Team Secret will look to build on its momentum when it takes on fellow South Korean squad T1 on July 25 at 6 p.m. (Manila time).
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