They are so back!! Sentinels dominate 2023 AfreecaTV Valorant League

The new face of Sentinels debuted at the 2023 AfreecaTV Valorant League. The event featured Paper Rex, DRX, EDward Gaming, T1, Team Liquid and two teams qualified via Thailand qualifiers.

Sentinels have previously played some Off//Season events and had looked excellent in the games, but they were primarily show matches against teams in North America. However, the AfreecaTV Valorant League was their first off//season tournament featuring a major international competition.

Sentinels dominate AfreecaTV Valorant League

Sentinels were drafted alongside Paper Rex and DRX for the group stage. Their first game pitted them against the Valorant Champions 2023 runner-ups. TenZ and Co. pulled ahead with a 2-1 score in the game.

Sentinels took down DRX in the following qualifying series without dropping a single map. The games weren’t one-sided, but they closed them comfortably.

In the playoffs, they faced debutante Team Liquid. They were pushed to the limit in the series, but standout performances from TenZ, Zellsis and Zekken helped them close the third map with a 13-5 scoreline.

The Grand Finals featured a rematch of the opening game. Sentinels were in firm control of the game in the three maps and limited Paper Rex to ten rounds in each map, winning the series with a 3-0 record.

What does the Win Mean for Sentinels?

Since winning the inaugural VCT Masters Reykjavik 2021, Sentinels have been constantly falling. They failed to make the top 4 again in 2021 and missed all the international events in 2022.

Sentinels winning inaugural VCT Masters Reykjavik 2023 (photo by Colin Young-Wolff // Riot Games)

The rebuild of 2023 didn’t pay off, and their struggles continued. During the 2023 season, they made multiple changes and did play better towards the end but failed to qualify for Valorant Champions 2023.

For the VCT 2024 season, the team brought JohnQT, the M80 IGL that led the squad to VCT Americas Ascension. They also brought in Zellsis as the sixth man for the squad.

During one of the showmatches, Zellsis subbed in for Pancada and since has become part of the squad and worked wonders with the roster.

The win at the AfreecaTV Valorant League ends a long trophy drought for Sentinels. Additionally, the win gives Sentinel’s new squad an excellent start to the upcoming year and puts them on a great pedestal for 2024.

Are Sentinels really back?

AfreecaTV Valorant League isn’t the main league and missed a lot of top-tier competition. Moreover, the teams attending were in the early days of theory crafting and experimenting.

Even still, Sentinels defeated DRX and Paper Rex, two of the biggest names in Valorant esports. The win alone doesn’t mean as much, but how Sentinels and the individuals looked throughout the event makes Sentinels a strong team.

As explained by FNS, former NRG IGL, Sentinels are playing a brand of Valorant, which is near perfect. They seldom make mistakes and have been making more correct decisions than incorrect ones during their games.

The new IGL and his squad

The New Sentinels Squad (credits: AfreecaTV esports Twitter)

The current Sentinels’ centre-piece must be the newly appointed IGL JohnQT. His IGL’ing and mid-rounding have been on point throughout the event. He has been vital in controlling how Sentinels play and ensuring they stick to the plan.

JohnQT, as a player, also fills the lurker role for the team, which Sentinels lacked since Dapr’s departure. Moreover, he also has excellent clutch potential, increasing the overall strength of the squad.

Zekken, the team’s entry, has only grown stronger. The young gun has been the saving grace for Sentinels for the last year and continues to be their star player.

Zellsis and Sacy are the two dependable role players for Sentinels who are versatile and can take up multiple roles and fulfil them with utter brilliance. Zellsis also doubles as the team’s mental leader, hyping up the squad and ensuring the team stays loud and plays their hearts out.

The new Sen TenZ

The cherry on top of the sweet Sentinels cake has to be TenZ. The long-lost star of Valorant is back with more firepower. TenZ has been criticized for the last three years. The player has always been under a giant microscope that follows his name.

It was also rumoured that TenZ might not play in 2024 and permanently return to streaming. Fortunately for the Valorant fans, TenZ is definitely playing 2024 and has upped his game by a notch.

During the last year, TenZ has switched over to a more secondary entry/support role but hasn’t been the best at it. There were some obvious flaws in his games, which have now been straightened out, which makes him a force on the server.

TenZ had a 0.49 APR playing the support role, which is a massive improvement. Moreover, he played Omen, Kay/O and Yoru in the tournament, three drastically different agents without any problems. In the final series against Paper Rex, TenZ had 37 assists and showed immense dexterity in setting his teammates up. TenZ is still the mechanical genius he has always been.

A bright future

If TenZ and Sentinels maintain the same level of gameplay, they will compete with the best of Valorant. The win at AfreecaTV Valorant League doesn’t mean Sentinels is the best team in the World, but it means they are back competing for the top spot.

With what they displayed at the event, Sentinels are definitely back!

Featured Image Credits: Sentinels YouTube // AfreecaTV Valorant League

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