LCK week one results and review

LCK week one – day five

KZ VS. SBG

• Winner: SANDBOX Gaming

It seems like Griffin’s Lehends has started a trend in the LCK as KingZone’s Park “TusiN” Jong-ik also picked up the Ornn support for Game 1. Game 1 was certainly a treat after the one-sided matches that were Griffin’s in Day 4, as both teams seemed evenly matched.

Both KingZone and SB made many mistakes throughout the game, with members mispositioning and their opponents punishing them. However, with a good-timed team fight victory from SB, SB eventually secured the baron and slowly ended the game by taking down two inhibitors.

Following their victory in Game 1, SB drafted another Draven and Thresh for their bot lane and along with OnFleek’s Camille, dominated in the early game of Game 2. As much as OnFleek was praised for his proactive plays on Camille, KingZone’s Cuzz was critiqued for his lack of presence in the game – playing passively and despite his aggressive Kha’zix pick. Riding on the back of OnFleek’s on fleek engages and Kim “Dove” Jae-yeon’s consistent Galio taunts in team fights, SB secured the baron after a clean ace in a five for one team fight but ended the game with a messy team fight and clutch auto from Park “Summit” Woo-tae.

AF VS. HLE

• Winner: Hanwha Life Esports

Things were looking dim for Hanwha Life when bonO gave up first blood to Kiin but after an incredibly close team fight for the mountain drake in the favor of Hanwha Life, Game 1 turned into a match filled with skirmishes and team fights shifting the game state each time. Eventually, however, Hanwha won a team fight, three for zero, and get the baron. With a scaling Kai’sa and a team full of utility tanks, even Afreeca’s Nocturne’s ultimate was reduced into a mere gap closer/blind, as Afreeca’s team lost more and more team fights and eventually lost the game.

BonO has proved his Olaf to be a formidable pick, as his early gameplay on the champion earned advantages for HLE’s mid laner Kim “Lava” Tae-hoon. Through bonO’s efforts to get him ahead, Lava’s LeBlanc quite frankly took over Game 2, dealing unfair amounts of burst damage while all the while remaining slippery. All of HLE stepped up in Game 2, with even Park “Thal” Kwon-hyuk, SKT’s ex-top laner popping off on Aatrox. Game 2 was a quick smash from HLE squad and they ended with a textbook baron push, securing all three inhibitors, countering Afreeca’s last desperation play, and winning the game.