Watch the NA Autumn Live Finals rebroadcast here.
LiberationX considers themselves a family of players. It took all six of them to take home the North America Autumn title.
LBX defeated Nemesis Hydra in a decisive fifth match in their best-of-five final, completing the reverse sweep and using the last of a multitude of roster variations required to finish the task.
The team began with qualifier backups Exhail (laner) and Martohhh (roamer) starting in the Live Finals as they attempted to make it to Day 3, when superstar laner ttigers could join the team after taking the SATs. Along the way, LiberationX experimented with Chicken123 and swapping tournament MVP Statusbaked between lane and jungle, but it was ultimately the outstanding play of Exhail in lane that bought Statusbaked enough breathing room — and LiberationX enough time — to make it through the bottom half of the bracket and into the semifinals. There ttigers, arguably the No. 1 laner in North America, joined the team, allowing them to revert to the VGL qualifier roster lineup of Statusbaked, ttigers and DawnEclypse that steamrolled through the VGL bracket.
In the Grand Finals, LiberationX found themselves down 2-0 after an otherworldly display of talent from Nemesis Hydra roamer LostBoyToph and a surprise Hardek Petal pick to fend off LBX’s hyper-aggression. LiberationX went to the bench one final time for Match 3, swapping DawnEclypse for Martohhh, in response to Nemesis’ draft targeting of Dawn’s comfort pick, Ardan. That proved the final puzzle piece as LBX built momentum from there, winning three straight, including a blind pick finale where they secured their ultimate jungle aggression comp of Fortress, Koshka and Ringo. Throughout, ttigers showed superior positioning, especially on Skye, living up to the hype under tremendous “semifinals savior” pressure.
It was a finals for the ages, even exceeding the high drama of these teams’ group stage encounter, when LiberationX won a base race after being one basic attack away from defeat.
We can only hope the Europe Autumn Live Finals starting this Friday mirrors the intensity, excitement and match quality in Santa Ana, California.
WATCH THE NORTH AMERICA AUTUMN LIVE FINALS