Once again, Paper Rex proved that they are the king of the Pacific region.
VCT Pacific Stage 1 Grand Finals kept the fans on the edge of their seats as Paper Rex and Gen.G Esports showed their true mettle. The rematch between the two teams resulted in all games of the series being played.
Indeed, PRX and Gen.G were neck and neck during the Grand Finals series. The first seed to VCT Masters Shanghai is at stake in this crucial face-off.
PRX picked Lotus as the first map, and they immediately asserted dominance during the early rounds. Gen.G managed to strike back and took four rounds of their own. The first half ended in a 6-6 fashion and proved how all these players are closely skilled.
The swing in momentum led Gen.G to win five rounds consecutively in the second half. The Korean team did not let PRX turn the table around as they took the first game of the series.
In Game 2, PRX made sure to end the first half in their favor. Sunset was Gen.G’s map pick but PRX was prepared for the onslaught. The two-round advantage was short-lived as Gen.G took the first two rounds after the switch.
Thanks to Byeon "Munchkin" Sang-beom incredible play, Gen.G evened up the scoreboard.
However, PRX's aggressive playstyle was too much for Gen.G to handle. Gen.G accepted defeat on their map pick.
The third game swung back and forth, with neither team backing down. Both teams pulled out quality performances, but PRX was the better team. PRX took the lead with a 13-11 score in Icebox.
Gen.G proved to be a formidable opponent in Game 4. Despite an insane Ace play from Wang Jing "Jinggg" Jie, the team did not lose their hopes of tying the series.
Gen.G completely flipped the game around and came out victorious in Bind.
Game 5 set the stage for an exhilarating back-and-forth affair between the two Pacific teams. The game looked like it could go either way.
Split is considered a defender-sided map and PRX managed to overcome that hurdle. The team came close to Gen.G with a 5-7 score. As expected in this type of map, Gen.G struggled on the attack side.
PRX managed to burn so much utilities from Gen.G every time they attempt to enter the site. PRX was able to trade off each other and predict their opponent’s play. They took eight out of nine rounds and that was the final nail in the coffin for Gen.G.
PRX was crowned VCT Pacific Stage 1 Champions. Jinggg was also hailed as the MVP for the Grand Finals series.
As Pacific’s first seed, the team will play directly in the VCT Masters Shanghai playoffs. They will also get the chance to choose their first match opponent.
VCT Masters Shanghai will start on May 23 with the Swiss Stage for the top 2 and 3 teams from each region. The tournament will take place in Shanghai, China and will last until June 6.
