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Despite setbacks, the Codebreakers still looks like the best Filipino team in the tournament.
Blacklist’s coach Tgee and crew are riding high after their perfect run in the KIC 2025 group stage and that’s despite all the hardships they had getting there. They may not look like it, but Blacklist felt underprepared heading into one of the biggest international tournaments of 2025.
Coach Gerald “Tgee” Gelacio explains that it’s a combination of bad timing and unfortunate events. It started right as the team was participating in the 2025 Honor of Kings Nations Clash in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
“Merong China bootcamp na nandun yung mga top teams,” said Blacklist’s coach Tgee. “Invited kami doon pero unfortunately hindi umabot yung visas namin. Tapos pag-uwi namin, ang tagal namin walang internet. So marami kaming pinagdaanan papunta dito sa KIC.”
Missing a chance to train with other top teams together with missing practice because the team house had no internet is a double whammy in terms of preparations. Coach Tgee even said that he sent his players back home so that they could get some amount of practice.
“Pagbalik ng internet namin, doon kami nag-double, triple down sa paggri-grind kasi kailangan namin humabol talaga. So ginawa talaga namin yung kaya naming magawa. Mas-sineryoso namin yung practice namin, pinagaralan namin yung mga games, nag-work hard talaga kami para makahabol. Yung nakikita nyo ngayon ay ang resulta ng pagsisikap ng team.”
A Morale Booster
Blacklist may be brimming with confidence right now but their mood was completely different a few weeks ago because of their circumstances.
“Nung una, sobrang baba yung morale ng team,” said Blacklist’s coach Tgee. “So kinausap ko lang sila sa mga bagay na kayang namin gawin moving forward. Dadating yung tournament, wala kami magagawa, so nagbanda kami at sinabi namin na ‘kaya natin to.’ Ibibigay lang natin ang lahat.”
And there’s no better proof of the team’s iron will than making a clean sweep of their group. Their performance so far has been a real morale boost for Blacklist and despite their uncertainty heading into KIC 2025, they certainly feel ready to take on the top teams in the playoffs.
“Maganda na yung morale ng team,” said Blacklist coach Tgee. “Gusto nga namin ituloy yung tournament agad pero kailang pa namin maghintay. Nagawa namin yung gusto namin sa group stage and sobrang ready na kami para sa knockouts.”
Banner photo from Level Infinite.