By Fantasy
The order of the first cycle got completely reversed, SWAG was beaten, QaM got eliminated and the two shining stars were the two miserable losers from before - Meka and Cats. Curiosity ran rampant - which of the events was the anomaly? After all, SWAG played out of their minds in the opening cycle of the CIS HoN Tour, beating out everyone in the crunch time. Their run through the Lower Bracket straight to the championship was not only a fairy tale story, but it also kept the old order intact. QaM and Meka were the new kids gunning for the title, while SWAG and Cats represented the old era. Thus far it’s 2-0 for the old and savvy veterans, as SWAG took home the first title, Cats Gaming rebounded straight to the top in the second.
Now which one was the anomaly? It stands to reason that the first one was more of a fluke than the second cycle. Points for that are mostly surrounding SWAG, who haven’t performed up to the level again. Way too often the team with incredible potential seems to relax during less important matches, ruining their chances for a great position in the postseason. During the third cycle this problem was more than apparent, when SWAG even missed the cut to get seeded straight into the Upper Bracket - also a first. The team couldn’t flip the switch this time though, and another miraculous Lower Bracket run did not come. After demolishing Lina in the first round, the journey ended once more against Cats Gaming - who lost their opening playoff match against Meka.
SWAG is now taking the reverse way from rags to riches, as their spot in the Top 4 is also in danger. That comes after a strong and unexpected performance increase coming from Jk. The team with the two letters has been around the scene for a while now, but with the same success as Meka and QaM. As one of the known pro teams they always managed to get into the Top 6 of almost every competition, but without having a real breakthrough. Now the competition is on notice of Jk, who not only captured their first regular season title in Cycle 3. They also struck fear into Cats. The new and improved Jk had the old dynasty team on the brink of elimination in the Lower Bracket Semis. The hard-fought and tough battle ultimately ended in Cats pouncing on every little mistake Jk made, capitalizing on their routine against the young guns
Regardless of that result, the CIS scene continues to emerge and turn into a very competitive place. That comes after months and months of Cats domination, only interrupted by a week of weakness from them. Usually those small fractions were the only times different teams came close to them. Other than that the team with established players like GuessWho, Shyla and FF were in a league of their own - only put down by international competition. Now the domestic market is picking up in speed and is presenting a challenge to the CIS flagship team. Jk pushed them to a close series, QaM put up a good fight and Meka seems to have their number recently.
The question now is, whether the new teams can finally finish a run. Twice now Meka and QaM were in a position to add a championship to the New World Order, but failed. First it was SWAG showing their strength, then it was Cats. Third time might be the charm, as Meka can be as confident as ever. During this entire cycle the team hasn’t looked bad against Cats at all. During the regular season they demolished Cats Gaming in the opener, they’ve been responsible of sending Cats to the Lower Bracket and they can feast off a 1-0 advantage. During the entire season, Meka has only lost two single maps. Those were in the group stage against Jk and QaM, the latter was avenged in the Upper Bracket Finals.
It could be the crowning moment for one of the new teams, who are surging to the top of the CIS region quickly. It could be the start of a new reign, or the continuance of the dynasty. Meka or Cats will walk away victorious and rule over the CIS region for at least a month. With the fluctuation recently, it might only be that long of a tenure until the other teams deliver another surprise. Exciting times are ahead.
Tune in for the big conclusion of Cycle 3 on Garena.RU’s twitch stream, when the casters bring you all the action from the CIS region.
About The Author: Fantasy
Cats Once More On Their Feet
Too Much Swag
New Czar in CIS?
