StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3 groupstage; OG, Liquid continue to impress from the top while Wings clipped early

StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3 groupstage has come to a dramatic end. Four teams – OG, Team Liquid, TnC Pro and Team VG.J have emerged from the depths of the groups to now compete in the playoff phase. Eight of the best teams – Wings Gaming, OG, VGJ, iG.Vitality, Team Liquid, Digital Chaos, Team Secret and TnC Pro with high hopes for a Kiev Major invite began the event in Shanghai, China February 23-26th. The playoffs begin at 03:00 CET, tomorrow, February 23rd with Group A series as OG takes on TnC Pro.

StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3 groupstage concluded after three days of intense encounters and thrilling engagements.

OG and Team Liquid were the first teams to advance to the playoffs from their respective groups. The two European squads are proving to be top contenders in any event they set their sights on and are both standing on the precipice of success.

TnC Pro have shown incredible game sense, decision making skills and refusal to buckle under pressure.

Team VG.J upset Wings Gaming with 2:0 knock out – sending the famed and TI6 winners home much earlier than expected. Under the guidance of Bai “rOtk” Fan, the reformed roster is raising eyebrows with their outstanding plays and energy.

Eight teams competed in the third iteration of the joint series between Starladder and iLeague.

The tournament is the last major LAN event before Kiev Major invites are announced – being held February 23-26 in Shanghai China at the International Gymnastics Center with a $300,000 prize pool.

StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3 groupstage recap

OG cruised to the top with a flawless performance, yielding not a single match to their opponents. Annihilating all who crossed their path, the team showed cogent ability to remain calm under pressure and when things didn’t get off on the best start. Capitalizing on enemy mistakes and prime opportunities, well coordinated team play and a fist full of confidence, the team continues to prove what a two time Valve championship team is made of.

On the other side of the spectrum, iG.Vitality weren’t able to clinch a single victory in their name. Despite every attempt to keep things close or turn it around, the Chinese team couldn’t find their way out of the rough stretch.

TnC Pro and Team Secret went down to the wire, seeking the second place position. In the final series of the group stage, the teams went head to head to a third deciding match to determine which team would have the honor to advance to the playoffs.

Starting with a 2:2 record, TnC Pro grabbed the first win in the decisive series – in only 32 minutes. Team Secret lashed back hard, recapturing their momentum and forcing the victory in their favor for a tie. In the end it would be TnC Pro that would find their place in the playoffs on the back of Marc Polo “Raven” Luis Fausto’s Slark with a 17-1-11 record.

StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3 groupstage StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3 groupstage StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3 groupstage

Team Liquid’s revamped roster continues to be on fire. As the new support player Maroun “GH” Merhej has gelled well with the team, Liquid has managed to regain their reputation as a fierce and formidable opponent. Topping Group B with a 4:1 record, they dropped only their opening match – against VG.J – in a thrilling 78 minute marathon.

Surprisingly, Digital Chaos fell from the event after a devastating series of losses – ending with a 0:4 record. The North American team have been showing signs of inconsistency as of late – taking first place at ESL One Genting in January and then falling to 7-8th place in Dota Pit Season 5 almost two weeks later.

Just as with Group A, Group B’s second team to advance was decided between the last series – between Wings Gaming and VG.J. Wings had the advantage going into the series, being slightly ahead of their peers in placement with a 2:2 record.

Much to the surprise of everyone, VG.J came storming out of the gates. Sun “Agressif” Zheng carried his team to tremendous victories in front of a deafening crowd. The onslaught that came out from VG.J created a gap that was too massive for the former TI champions to bridge.

StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3 groupstage StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3 groupstage StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3 groupstage

StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3: Format

Playoffs

• Four teams
• Best-of-three
• Single Elimination
• Best-of-five Grand Finals

StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3 playoffs: Schedule

Sunday, February 26th

• 03:00 CET – Semi-final #1
• 06:00 CET – Semi-final #2
• 10:00 CET– Grand final

StarLadder iLeague StarSeries S3: Prize Pool

The total prize pool is $300,000.

• 1st place – $135,000
• 2nd place – $60,000
• 3rd-4th place – $30,000
• 5th-6th place – $15,000 – Team Secret/Wings Gaming
• 7th-8th place – $7,500 – iG.Vitality/DC