BOOM Esports keep the upsets rolling at GAMERS GALAXY: Invitational Series Dubai 2022.

It’s only the first quarter of 2022, but BOOM Esports have definitely already written one incredible story for themselves. Set to start the year with a new roster in Dota Pro Circuit Southeast Asia Division 2, the team was preparing to grind their way to the top tiers. However, a couple of days before the DPC kicked off, they were allowed to advance to Division 1, from where they were relegated in the previous season, as OMEGA Esports were disqualified for match-fixing.

Focused to make the best of this second chance and to take the Winter Season as an opportunity to learn as much as possible, BOOM Esports exceeded all expectations already. They placed first in the regional league, and despite that, they still made a roster change and let go their carry player Justine Ryan Evangelista "Tino" Grimaldo while welcoming Souliya "JaCkky" Khoomphetsavong.

They seemed to need no time to adjust to a new player as they went on claiming the title in the SEA Regional finals mere days after JaCkky joined and now, at their very first LAN together, they have already secured a top four finish by eliminating the much more experienced Team Secret from GAMERS GALAXY: Invitational Series Dubai 2022

So far, only Tundra Esports have been able to take down BOOM. Through the group stage matches, the SEA representatives went 3-0 and ensured an upper bracket playoffs start, while Team Secret had to also go through a play-in stage in order to reach the playoffs where they were seeded in the lower bracket.

BOOMs advantage vanished fast after the 0-2 loss to Tundra, but so far, they managed to stay alive in the tournament and book a series with the TI10 champions, Team Spirit. They did so by perfectly outmaneuvering and out-scaling Team Secret in the two games played of the bo3 series.

BOOM EsportsvsTeam Secret

Secret had Ember Spirit and Storm Spirit in game one to engage and chase BOOM all over the map, but while Syed "SumaiL" Hassan was nearly unstoppable and perhaps the only reason Secret survived for over 60 minutes in the game, BOOM had quite an elusive draft, able to deal with the spirit brothers.

Mirana, Riki and Pangolier were the key heroes that allowed them to dodge the Secret aggression, while Erin Jasper "Yopaj" Ferrer mid Kunkka turned out to be the true carry and Rolen Andrei Gabriel "skem" Ong’s position 5 Death Prophet evolved into real core with a six slotted inventory and grabbed the victory for their team.

After trying for 60 minutes to catch BOOM on the wrong foot and start the series with a win only to find themselves in danger of elimination, Team Secret looked to secure a better team fight setup with a rather strong mix of lockdown, AoE spells and single target damage, but their plan was matched by BOOM, who took a quick 2-0 victory on the back of the same DP and Kunkka duo and a carry Phantom Assassin, who was able to impose a fast paced game to counter Secret’s Anti-Mage.

While Team Secret will head home with just a top 6 finish in Dubai, BOOM Esports have just a couple of hours to regroup and prepare for the next opponent in the lower bracket elimination rounds, Team Spirit.

^{headline picture courtesy of Gamers Galaxy}

BOOM Esports eliminate Team Secret at GAMERS GALAXY: Invitational Series Dubai 2022