Last night, the top half of Enter the Storm NA Cup #2 playoffs began featuring Team Naventic, Team Blaze, COGnitive and Gale Force esports. The first match of the night was between the evenly matched Cognitive and Team Blaze. Team Blaze was playing with a new lineup and there couldn't have been a better test than the grueling 3 game set against COGnitive. After an intense 36 minute back and forth match on Dragon Shire, game 3 was played on Sky Temple and with impeccable Greymane play on the side of Team Blaze by the newly acquired bigempect sealed the deal, sending COGnitive to the losers bracket.
Looks like Team Blaze's roster changes are paying off. Take a look at that Greymane Hero damage:
The next match was between Team Blaze and Team Naventic. Naventic was the clear favorite but, as early as the draft screen, we saw Team Blaze making plays. After winning game one with a Xul, Tyrande, Jaina burst damage composition, Team Blaze ran a unique double support strategy on Sky Temple. Rehgar and Brightwing, when paired with Stitches and Falstad, provided two things for Blaze that ultimately gave them the win: dominating global presence and an unkillable Stitches.
Despite Naventic being the clear favorite they were unable to top Blaze as they fell 0-2 and found themselves in an unfamilar place, the loser bracket.
The last match of the night was a lower bracket match between Gale Force esports and COGnitive. Naventic had previously sent Gale Force esports into the losers bracket, which wasn't a surprise to anyone as Gale Force was playing with two subs, one of them being their coach. After a surprising loss in a game they should have won, COGnitive knew they had to wake up.
So COGnitive went to the comfort picks to end all comfort picks: Glaurung on Zeratul. The change was a positive one, and thanks to the always dependable Johanna play by catterpillar, they were able to keep the momentum going, winning 2-1.
Be sure to tune in this afternoon to watch the other side as the bracket as well as the Winners bracket semifinal.
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