Philippine Sibol overall champion in eSports

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Sibol snared gold late Monday night and snatched another one to start Tuesday’s play, assuring the country of the overall crown in the inaugural staging of eSports competitions in the biennial Southeast Asian Games.

Sibol’s Dota II team clinched the second gold medal  for the Philippines after the earlier triumph of the home bets in Mobile Legends Bang Bang event at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

James Erice Guerra, Van Jerico Manalaysay, John Anthony Vargas, Brylle Jacobs Alvizo and Rushtom Marvin Salvador made up the Dota II team that pulled off a 3-2 decision over their Thai counterparts in the gold-medal game.

Then before noon yesterday, Napoleon Acampado walloped Singapore’s Thomas Kopankiewicz, 4-1, to claim top honors in Starcraft II and guaranteed Sibol of the overall title in eSports.

Looking to follow MLBB’s golden finish, Sibol’s Dota 2 team went to a hot start, with bet No. 1 showing beast form on his Temple Assassin pick.

But the Thai fought back right in the next match, then the two teams  split the next two games before Sibol took the winner-take-all setto.

Vargas had a monstrous handling of Phantom Lancer and sealed the win for Team Phl.

Vietnam seized the bronze.

Meanwhile, Thailand swept Indonesia, 3-0, to take the gold medal in the Arena of Valor (AOV).