Gen.G beat Team Heretics to win VCT Masters Shanghai
On the last day of VCT Masters Shanghai, the Mercedes-Benz Arena bore witness to an electrifying Best of 5 Grand Finals between Gen.G and Team Heretics.
After five thrilling maps, Gen.G emerged victorious, securing the coveted VCT Masters Shanghai trophy.
The Journey so far
Gen.G entered the tournament as the second seed from VCT Pacific, determined to clinch a title after near misses in previous events. Having lost the Pacific title to Paper Rex and the VCT Masters Madrid finals to Sentinels, Gen.G was on a mission to win a trophy this time.
Their journey through the tournament was nothing short of spectacular. They dominated from the Swiss Stage to the playoffs, not losing a single match and cementing themselves as a formidable force heading into the Grand Finals.
Team Heretics, also entered as the second seed from EMEA, but they faced numerous challenges before arriving in Shanghai. Visa issues and the unavailability of Dominykas "MiniBoo" Lukaševičius, who was replaced by Patryk "paTiTek" Fabrowski, plagued the team.
Despite these setbacks, their coach Neil "neilzinho" Finlay emphasized their goal to "have fun." They managed to captivate fans despite defeating all three Chinese teams on home soil and made a remarkable lower bracket run, overcoming FUT, 100 Thieves, and G2 to earn their spot in the Grand Finals against Gen.G.
Gen.G 3-2 Team Heretics
The first map, Breeze, saw Gen.G's dominance with a commanding 10-2 defense half. Meteor, on Yoru, and t3xture dismantled Team Heretics' attack, leading to a decisive 13-6 victory for Gen.G, drawing first blood in the series.
Team Heretics chose Icebox for the second map, initially struggling with a 0-4 start on the attacking half. However, pivotal rounds from paTiTek helped them recover to a 5-7 score. RieNs then took charge in the second half, leading Team Heretics to a 13-9 win, leveling the series.
Ascent, a map Gen.G had not lost at VCT Masters Shanghai, was next. Team Heretics turned the tables with stellar performances from rookie Wo0t and excellent calls from Boo. The map saw intense back-and-forth action before Team Heretics secured a 13-9 victory, taking the lead in the series.
The penultimate map, Lotus, witnessed Gen.G's resurgence with a dominant 9-3 defense half. Every member of the Korean roster stepped up, leading to a commanding 13-4 win and pushing the Grand Finals to a fifth and final map.
Split was the final battleground, and Gen.G delivered an anti-climactic finish to the series. They overwhelmed Team Heretics with a 9-3 attack half and maintained their momentum to secure a 13-3 victory, winning VCT Masters Shanghai.
A Historic Victory
This triumph marked a historic moment for Gen.G as they became the first Pacific team to win an international VALORANT tournament. As a newly assembled roster, this victory is a testament to their skill and synergy.
On talking about the success that this Gen.G roster has seen, In-Game Leader Byeon "Munchkin" Sang-beom praised the coaching staff for making this possible.
“I’m extremely proud of my teammates for being the first Pacific team to lift an international trophy. Even though we’re a fresh roster this year, the reason behind us seeking so much success was the coaching staff and the work that they’ve done for us.”
Additionally, this win adds to Gen.G's accolades, including their recent Mid-Season Invitational 2024 victory in League of Legends.
With this win, Gen.G earned three VCT Championship points, bringing their total to 12 and propelling them to first place in the Pacific region, surpassing Paper Rex. This victory positions Gen.G as strong contenders for qualifying for Champions 2024.
Although Team Heretics go home empty handed, they have proven to the world that even with all the issues plaguing the team, they are still a force to be reckoned with. And once their roster is back to full strength, they will be one of the top teams to look out for in Stage 2.
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Featured Image Source: David Lee/Riot Games
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Team Heretics Qualify for Grand Finals of VCT Masters Shanghai