[LION]Lions eSportsKlubb has done it. The Swedish team around Superkge and Handsken entered the playoff tournament leading to Las Vegas as one of the favorites and validated that status in the end. For most of the community the eight-team playoffs would come down to [357]QsQ, [TteS]Tt eSPORTS, [AiD]Afraid and Lions eSports to determine the fourth team in the HoN Tour Season 1 Grand Finals.

Lions eSports made it happen on the last weekend of the competition with victories over Tt eSports and QsQ as their direct rivals for that coveted spot. It all came down to this last weekend after it looked grim for the team in the beginning of the tournament. They initially scored a victory over [xCet]Team Excellent, but dropped down to the Lower Bracket at the hands of Tt eSports in the second round. From that moment on the Lions got their minds back in the game and cruised through the Lower Bracket. At one point they bolstered an impressive streak of eight consecutive map victories without a concede. The avalanche rolled over [oo7]We Are Spies, Team Excellent and Tt eSports, while also gaining the upper hand in the series against QsQ as a result of that streak.

Lions played their innovative lineups with Devourer, Monkey King and in the end even Armadon again, applying a lot of pressure to the team led by NoVa and Jonassomfan. The first two maps were a thing of beauty with wonderfully orchestrated flanks courtesy of the mobility of Nymphora and the lockdown potential of Devourer and Bubbles. The first two maps were going all for Lions who looked like a safe bet for Las Vegas all of a sudden. Both casters Beef and iNsania were in awe of the coordination the roaring Lions displayed and the veteran NoVa and his squad looked to be flustered by what was thrown at them.

QsQ caught a break in the third map, snapping the streak of Lions eSports and pushing the Grand Final of the Playoffs to go all the way—all five maps. Unfortunately for QsQ they won’t be able to join [sG]stayGreen, [coL]compLexityGaming and [tdM]Trademark eSports in America’s Playground as the Lions regrouped once again and went into the last map ready to rock. They busted out their Armadon pick, while QsQ gave the Pyromancer to Style.

Spines and fire were flying and crashing all across the map, but once the Fan of Knives were just lying on the battlefield and the smoke had cleared, the five Lions players prevailed as the winners and therefore the fourth team that can make the trip to fabulous Las Vegas. They will not only meet a couple of Blackjack tables and Elvis impersonators, but also Stay Green in the first round of the HoN Tour Grand Finals. It is a tough assignment for the team that has improved the most since HoN Tour launched. At the beginning they were just another Diamond Division team; now they are on top of their game with great poise, innovative hero picks, great coordination and a team spirit that is almost unrivaled in the scene today. It will be interesting to see what they can do in the clash against Stay Green—note that they won the last head-to-head battle against the Miami team in the SoundBlaster Heroes League.

For QsQ the playoffs were a resurgence back to their old form with a thrashing victory over Tt eSports yesterday and a valiant effort against the Swedish team. They might have struggled for the last couple of Cycles in the Diamond Division, ultimately getting demoted to Gold, but they seem to have found their mojo and are eyeing a comeback into the highs of the competitive scene. Currently they are not even in the Top 5 anymore on a lot of Power Rankings, but the off season accomplishments and activities might turn that perception and give them a boost in confidence and momentum for the upcoming second season of HoN Tour.

- Sören Fantasy