THE UST Teletigers Esports Club (UST TGR) began the UAAP Season 87 esports VALORANT tournament with a 2-1 loss to the UP Fighting Maroons on Wednesday, May 7, at the Gateway 2 Quantum Skyview in Cubao.
Deadlock at 1-all in the series, the Maroons outsmarted the Teletigers on Icebox to claim the clincher round, 13-9.
“Based on our match today, we need to practice and build our team chemistry since our team only had 2 weeks of practice,” shotcaller Nathan Manuta told The Flame.
“We will adjust our roles and we might substitute our sixth man. For our opponents tomorrow, good luck,” he added.
UST TGR dropped the first map on Haven, 13-8, risking a sweep. However, it bounced back in the second map on Lotus as Manuta’s breach became a focal point in the turnaround of the momentum, 13-2.
Back and forth, the third map on Icebox became a beatdown in the initial rounds. After a two-round control by UP, back-to-back timeouts were called by UST TGR to stop its foes’ momentum.
The Diliman crew continued to stay in command, winning the pistol and bonus rounds to take a dominant 10-4 cushion.
Manuta’s operator shots initiated a small comeback for the España-based team, cutting the lead to just two, 11-9. However, the Maroons denied a UST TGR come-from-behind win with a double kill.
UST TGR’s VALORANT team is represented by John Luis Cuaresma, Arthas Troy Nebres, Angelo Kyan Ysibido, Miguel Gumaru, Manuta and sixth man Jared Ezekiel Dandan. They are coached by former player John Matthew Cuaresma.
They will face the Adamson University Esports Team on Thursday, May 8, at the same venue. F
