Former Execration Standout Leads Lyceum To CCE Three-Peat

With ex-Execration standout Mark Kenneth “Mark” Delos Reyes leading the way, Lyceum of the Philippines University completed a three-peat in the Collegiate Center Championship (CCC) Season 3 with a stellar playoff run capped by a finale sweep over College of St. Benilde over the weekend at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay.

The Pirate Esports ran away with a 3-0 wipeout of the CSB Astra to snare their third straight title in historic fashion as the two-day grand finals of the CCC under its mother company Collegiate Center for Esports (CCE) starred at the main stage of the inaugural Philippine GameDex Expo (PGDX).

Lyceum scored a pair of 2-0 sweeps against University of Perpetual Help System Dalta and Jose Rizal U in the upper bracket before putting on a show in the grand finals with another sweep, this time against CSB behind a collective effort.

Lyceum’s only defeat was against Perpetual in the qualifying rounds to finish with a 7-1 record on top of the CCC led by chairman Stanley Lao, president Waiyip Chong, chairman emeritus Peter Cayco, general manager Jay Recto and lead project manager Franz Abrenica.

Team captain Ralph “Alas” Araz, Em Jhay “Alas4Spade” Cabradilla, and Karl “Kou” Furaque took turns in steering the Pirate Esports’ ship to continue their winning ways in the fastest growing Esports collegiate league backed by Fantech, Converge, and Xiaomi, with PGDX as event partner.

“For me, last season ko na kasi to kaya sobrang sarap para sa sa akin. Sobrang saya kasi naka-three-peat kami. Ito ‘yung gustong-gusto ko na bago sana maka-graduate, mag-three-peat kami. Nabigay naman at nagawa ng buong team kaya sobrang saya,” said skipper Alas.

“Hindi rin namin in-expect na masi-sweep namin sa playoffs kasi sobrang tindi ng labanan sa qualifiers pa lang. Unlike sa Season 1 and 2, alam namin na talagang lamang kami. Ngayon hindi. Sobrang solid kaya mas matamis ito. Sobrang sarap.”

Alas ignited Lyceum’s bid with a perfect Angela showing behind a 3/0/16 kill-death-assist tally to capture the MVP in Game 1 as the Pirate Esports made short work of the Astra in only 15 minutes.

Lyceum dominated the gold, with a 9,000 gap, and the turrets, 9-2, to end up with a 19-10 kill score without the need of the Lord to take down CSB’s base for the series’ first blood.

In Game 2, the Pirate Esports proved they were on a league of their own by finishing off the Astra in only 11 minutes behind a 22-6 kill score with Kou’s Pharsa at the helm of the barrage.

Kou put on a near untouchable Pharsa gaming with 10/1/7 KDA for the MVP plum as Lyceum lorded it over with a massive 15,000 gold lead and 8-0 difference in turrets.

But CSB, with its backs against the wall, refused to go down and simply surrender by shocking Lyceum early in Game 3 with an 8-4 kill and 2,000 gold lead.

The Astra, including a Lord take in the early minutes, had all the momentum on their side by controlling the pushes and clashes in the mid and bottom lane only to leave Alas4Spade’s Moskov sneaking out in the top lane, where they lost two turrets in succession.

That swayed the tide on Lyceum’s side, with two-time MVP Mark Kenneth “Mark” Delos Reyes’ Lancelot, Merlin “Merlin” Lintan’s Grock, Kou’s Novaria and Alas’ Rafaela joining Alas4Spade’s Mosko on top to get the job done and capture a third straight CCC title.

Kou’s Novaria, with an impressive 8/1/11 KDA was commendable in his MVP citation anew as Lyceum ended the match in 18 minutes.

Mico “Frion” Frio, Alexandre Gabrielle “AK” Laverez, Gabriel “Yahiko” Macaspac, Kelvin Kurt “Vigor Dugjudy” Javier and Marc Louis “Seiki” De Guzman led the way for CSB in a still remarkable runner-up finish in CCC Season 3.

Meanwhile, John Cristian “Tian” Aquino, Keventh Jhay “Kevz” Espolong, Mark Jabez “21Jabez” Cruz, Justin Clark “Infamous” Posadas and Lenard Mir “Mir” De Guzman spearheaded JRU’s podium finish after absorbing a close 1-2 defeat against CSB in the lower bracket finals.

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