Going into last weekend we started with the LB Ro4 matches where [MOE]Moes Tavern was hoping [TZES]Twilightzesports would win so they could get revenge on them for earlier in the round. In the end though neither team would be able to secure victory as [QsQ7]QsQ 777 and [hade]HAVE IT both won 2-0 to place those potential Diamond teams in the 5/6th place overall, as they move on to the Semi-final Loser Bracket match in their stead.
Pikachu defeated Clan Milk in the Winner's Finals moving them to the Grand Finals for Gold Cycle 5 while Clan Milk was knocked down to fight HAVE IT in the Loser's Finals. HAVE IT came out on top, defeating the newly named Clan Milk squad 2-0 as they move onto face Pikachu for the second time this cycle, in the Grand Finals.
More on Clan Milk, originally started by Sam "Milkfat" Braithwaite back in DotA days, after moving to Heroes Of Newerth he started playing last year with a group of players of some of his best friends and other players he met. Former members of the original Clan Milk squad since it's revival last year with Milkfat's world record attempt include Kreamz, CaKeS, Moiravus, Lalond, `PokeDex, Kookiez and other members of the
team.
This new inception of the Clan Milk legacy is now being carried forth by Xatron who along with the rest of his team now reside as a Diamond Level team. If there was to be one person who is happier than the rest about them being Diamond it would be Milkfat himself, being his organization I think he and the rest of us will be rooting for these guys to grow as a team and reach the top-tier soon enough, Diamond is just the first step on the long winding road of success in Heroes Of Newerth.
In the Grand Finals for Gold Cycle 5 we see HAVE IT facing Pikachu with Pikachu up 1-0 at the start. It took only three matches for Pikachu to defeat HAVE IT, winning 3-1. It seems that HAVE IT did put up a strong fight but were simply outclassed by the strong Pikachu group. In the first game Nir on War Beast seemed to get out of control with SemiJew on Flux, in addition to the rest of the team Demented Shaman, Keeper of the Forest and Wretched Hag it seems that HAVE IT would either be pushed into their base heavily early on and Warbeast got fast farm and managed defeat Rape`'s 500 gpm Silhouette.
In the second game we saw a comeback from HAVE IT as they played a very strong team around supporting Moon Queen, Rape` again got 587 gpm on Moon Queen and it seems was just able to dominate the Pikachu team. In the final game it appeared that HAVE IT could not get their golden dragon,Draconis off the ground as they got birded by Pikachu who played a very strong Zephyr mid game to take the final match.
In the end HAVE IT should be happy with their placing despite overall feeling as a team that they didn't perform their best.
"It was solid not too good though," said Rythme of HAVE IT. "Like we have played maybe 10 scrims at max."
That's not always the best thing for a team entering Diamond, Rythme expects his team to do well but unless they manage to scrim more and practice they may not stay in Diamond for too long.
The other teams on the other hand may have their own problems keeping a position in Diamond, Pikachu among the 4 promoted teams may be the only one left next cycle due to seeding challenges.
This week is full of matches for the GSL participants while the other teams are left scrimming each other and hopefully will be able to make it for the second qualifier.
Looking forward to the GSL matches this week!
- Crowslaw
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