Singapore champs RSG Slate out of Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup 2023

It was a good run for the Singapore at the Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup (MSC) 2023.

Despite topping their group stage, Singapore MLBB Professional League (MPL) SG champions RSG Slate got swept 0-3 at the Knockout Stage against Cambodia's Burn x Flash.

With MSC 2023 not having a double-elimination bracket this time around, it meant that that RSG Slate had no second chance to claw their way back. The Singaporeans bowed out in 5th-8th place with US$9,000 in consolation.

"I feel like it's a new system and therefore in the Knockout Stage everybody should feel more pressure to do well every single game because there's no comeback for them. There's no time to rethink strategies. If you lose, you lose," RSG's exp-laner Yeo "Diablo" Wee Lun told Yahoo Esports SEA.

He also rated the team's performance as an 8 out of 10, though he admitted that the team's mental strength could have been much stronger.

"I would say during the first two games, our team underestimated the opponent a bit because of our wins against the powerhouses," said Diablo.

"Therefore, we made silly mistakes for them to punish us. Because if we played disciplined like how we did in the group stages, I believe we would have easily secured the first two games."

Diablo also shared that his team are all now full-time players. This allows them to have more time in training and developing strategies. However, he admitted that it's more tiring now as a full-time player, as his schedule is "just scrim, scrim, scrim" and playing the whole day.

"I feel like because of that we are able to achieve better results this time."

With other Singapore teams adding foreign players to their squads, Diablo thinks it's a win-win as other teams will evolve. That, in turn, will make Singapore a more competitive region and force other teams to not underestimate them.

"The harder the opponent is, the better it gets for all of us. Because if we actually don't make it to M5, then I'm actually glad that someone else represents Singapore and it's not just one team that's dominating."

He also added that he wants Singapore to be like MPL ID and MPL PH, two of the most competitive leagues in the Mobile Legends esports scene.

"That makes us more motivated to win the championship."

MSC 2023 features 12 of the best MLBB teams from all across Southeast Asia as well as Turkiye, MENA, and North America clashing in Pnomh Penh, Cambodia from 10 to 18 June.

Aloysius Low is an ex-CNET editor with more than 15 years of experience. He's really into cats and is currently reviewing products at canbuyornot.com

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