THE Cesafi Esports League (CEL) capped off its preseason tournament with thrilling championship matches in Valorant and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) on Saturday, July 29, 2023.
The University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) had an impressive run in the CEL Preseason Valorant tournament.
In a best-of-five series against the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue (UCLM), USJ-R advanced to Game 1 with guns blazing; claiming the victory with a score of 13-4. UCLM managed to bounce back during Game 2 to tie the series 1-1. However, USJ-R exhibited complete control, demonstrating its dominance in Game 3 with a convincing 13-3 victory.
Moreover, USJ-R had a remarkable turnaround in Game 4, rallying from a 4-1 deficit to ultimately triumph 3-1 in the series, earning them the title as the CEL Preseason Valorant Champions.
The MLBB Preseason Championship between UCLM and USJ-R was a classic back-and-forth showdown that went down to the wire. During Game 2, despite the kill score favoring UCLM 20-17, USJ-R emerged victorious by strategically prioritizing their major objectives.
Moving into Game 3, USJ-R displayed dominant gameplay, securing a significant kill score advantage of 10-5, putting them in a favorable position to claim the victory. However, in Game 4, UCLM turned the tables, showcasing an impressive performance and finishing with a remarkable 25-13 kill lead, resulting in a tied series at 2-2.
In the deciding Game 5, UCLM’s EXP laner, Am1ng, decided to choose his signature hero — Joy. In the waning moments of the game, UCLM managed to wipe out USJ-R, securing the victory in the series and claiming the CEL Preseason MLBB Championship.
USJ-R’s flawless run in the Valorant pre-season, coupled with UCLM’s impressive performance in the MLBB preseason, clearly establishes them as formidable teams to watch out for in the upcoming second season of the CEL.