The third match of the ESL Premier League saw Green Tipped Bananas up against HKEGG, a team known for their unorthodox strategy of running double bruiser bot lanes with champions like Dr. Mundo, Sion, and Cho’Gath. While the strategy was considered outdated, it still had the potential to catch teams off guard and snowball out of control if not handled carefully.

  The team call buzzed to life as Titan pulled up HKEGG’s recent drafts.

  “They’re doubling down on bruisers bot lane,” Titan began, his voice steady. “Their whole strategy is built around forcing dives and creating chaos early. If they get ahead, they’ll roll over us. But if we play smart, we’ll outscale them.”

  “They’re relying on cheese,” Hai said. “They think no one knows how to deal with it anymore.”

  “We do,” Titan replied. “Balls, you’ll need to be ready to counter their dives. Nior, your job is to peel and stop them from isolating BladeSong. If we weather their early game, we’ll run them over.”

  BladeSong grinned. “Let’s stomp these amateurs.”

  Game 1

  The first draft showed HKEGG’s commitment to their bruiser bot strategy. They locked in Dr. Mundo and Sion for their bot lane, with Cho’Gath top, Amumu jungle, and Twisted Fate mid. Their comp screamed early-game aggression and crowd control-heavy teamfighting.

  GTB countered with a scaling composition. Titan took Morgana mid, BladeSong locked in Tristana, and Nior picked Janna for disengage. Hai opted for Xin Zhao jungle, while Balls went for Malphite top.

  From the opening minutes, GTB played cautiously, avoiding unnecessary risks. HKEGG tried to force early pressure in the bot lane, crashing a wave under GTB’s turret at 7 minutes. Their Amumu jungle arrived for a dive, but Nior’s Howling Gale disrupted the play, knocking back Sion mid-dive. Hai’s Xin Zhao counter-ganked perfectly, turning the play into a double kill for BladeSong.

  “That’s how you stop a cheese comp,” Hai said confidently.

  From there, GTB took control. Balls’s Malphite roamed mid to help Titan secure a kill on Twisted Fate, shutting down his ability to pressure side lanes. BladeSong farmed uncontested, scaling into a late-game monster on Tristana.

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  At 25 minutes, GTB baited HKEGG into a fight at dragon. Balls landed a massive Unstoppable Force, knocking up three members of HKEGG. Titan followed with Soul Shackles, rooting Mundo and Amumu, while BladeSong rocket jumped forward to clean up.

  Ace.

  With Baron secured, GTB pushed into HKEGG’s base, dismantling their defenses with methodical precision. The game ended at 29 minutes, a decisive victory.

  Victory.

  Game 2

  The second draft showed GTB’s adaptability. They banned Dr. Mundo, Sion, and Cho’Gath, forcing HKEGG onto a more traditional comp. HKEGG picked Ezreal and Karma for their bot lane, with Jarvan IV jungle, Renekton top, and Twisted Fate mid.

  GTB countered with a familiar scaling comp. Titan locked in Zilean mid, BladeSong returned to Sivir, and Nior took Leona for engage. Hai stayed on Xin Zhao, while Balls opted for his pocket Gangplank.

  GTB seized control from the outset. Hai focused on controlling Jarvan’s jungle, denying him critical camps and preventing early ganks. Meanwhile, Nior’s Leona roamed effectively, landing stuns on mid and bot that allowed Titan and BladeSong to secure early kills.

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  The pivotal moment came at 15 minutes during a fight for the second dragon. HKEGG attempted to force a fight, but Balls’s Gangplank landed a barrel combo onto Twisted Fate and Karma. Titan’s Time Bombs came out quickly, stunning Twisted Fate, and BladeSong rocket jumped in for a reset before jumping again to take down Karma too.

  “They’re falling apart,” Titan noted. “Keep the pressure up.”

  GTB used their lead to secure Baron at 23 minutes. With the buff, they pushed into HKEGG’s base, dismantling turrets and inhibitors. A final teamfight at the Nexus saw BladeSong secure a triple kill, ending the game in dominant fashion.

  Victory.

  The team’s comms were filled with relief and excitement.

  “Easy,” Hai said. “They didn’t stand a chance once we shut down their cheese.”

  “Props to Nior for stopping that dive in game one,” BladeSong added. “MVP right there.”

  “Good job, everyone,” Titan said, his voice calm but satisfied. “We’re growing. Let’s keep this momentum.”

  Later that night, as Titan reviewed the match stats, a new notification popped up in his inbox. The subject line read:

  “Opportunity to Build Something Bigger.”

  Curious, Titan opened the email. The sender was anonymous, but the message was clear:

  “I’ve been watching your matches. Green Tipped Bananas has potential, but potential alone won’t take you far. I’m looking to start an organization—a real esports brand. If you’re interested, let’s talk. The future is ours to build.”

  Titan leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. This could be the next step—not just for himself, but for the team. An opportunity to turn Green Tipped Bananas into something more than just a promising amateur squad.

  He closed the email, his determination renewed. The road ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: this was just the beginning.