MANILA — Filipino Valorant squad Zeal Esports are this year’s KJC eSports Valorant Tournament: One champions as they dealt a 3-1 upset against Singapore powerhouse Paper Rex in the grand finals held Saturday.
The Cebu-based squad came out on top against 64 other teams to emerge as Southeast Asia’s best in the tournament for the hit first-person shooting game.
Paper Rex was able to drive Game 1 into overtime as Zeal picked the Ascent map but succumbed eventually via a 14-12 scoreline.
Zeal Esports dominated the Bind map in Game 2, while Paper Rex banked on a good second half in Icebox to take its only set in the series at Game 3.
Game 4 carried the match on to overtime but Zeal was able to secure yet another 14-12 win and the trophy.
Prior to this, Zeal Esports dealt Malaysia’s Todak Esports with a 13-7 defeat in the quarterfinals, and Vietnam’s EGO in the semifinals.
Carl “senyocarL” Carandang emerged as the tournament MVP.
Zeal Esports qualified for the tournament after defeating local squads SV Empire and South Built Esports in the Philippine qualifiers held last week.
Zeal Esports will take home part of the US$850 prize pool.
ROSTER:
Carl “senyorcarl” Carandang
Keith “FireSaiyajin” Madarang
James “2geMONSTAH” Goopio
Craig Zachary “CraigyS” Salgado
Vince “Flash” Medado
Dominique “N1CO” Tul-id