Blacklist International books M5 ticket, ends ECHO title defense bid

Defending champion decoded.

Blacklist International earned the last spot for Philippine Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) teams in this year's M5 after decoding reigning national and world titlist ECHO, 3-1, in their best-of-five lower bracket clash at the EVM Convention Center in Quezon City on Saturday, October 28.

Edward "Edward" Dapadap claimed the Match Most Valuable Player (MVP) honor as he helped the Codebreakers repeat their 3-1 triumph over ECHO in the upper bracket semifinals of MPL Philippines Season 12 Playoffs last Thursday, October 26.

READ: Blacklist ends losing streak to ECHO, secures upper bracket finals seat

Dapadap and the Tier One-backed squad book their third World Championship appearance and will gun for a record-extending fourth crown in MPL Philippines against upper bracket (UB) finals tormentor AP Bren.

AP Bren swept Blacklist in the UB finale, 3-0, to reach the grand finals after escaping RSG Philippines in a thrilling five-game showdown.

The Philippines' M5 representatives meet on Sunday, October 29, with the winner pocketing 35,000 dollars or nearly two million pesos.

Fighting back his tears, Edward just couldn't believe how Blacklist defeated ECHO for the second time this season.

The Orcas got the best of the Codebreakers in their six previous encounters, including the M4 World Championship in January and MPL Philippines Season 11 in May.

"I cannot believe it," the 19-year-old Blacklist's experience (EXP) laner said. "A lot of people doubted us. Now, we're in M5. It feels good."

The Hall of Legends inductee delivered the goods when needed the most for the Codebreakers to deprive the Orcas of the chance to defend their M-series crown.

His Edith finished with five kills and 11 assists on top of three deaths as the three-time MPL Philippines champion ensured returning Tristan "Yawi" Cabrera couldn't do his things.

Realizing Yawi's threat, the Codebreakers banned Khufra, whom the ECHO roamer used in Game Three. Cabrera picked Franco for a tanky Orca lineup with Baxia and Terizla to counter Blacklist's crowd-control heavy pair of Mathilda and Novaria.

Kenneth "Yue" Tadeo's Novaria worked wonders for the Codebreakers. Yue's clutch Astral Echo use denied Yawi and his teammates any playmaking chances.

Yawi's risky attempt to down Yue ultimately resulted in their loss as Blacklist took advantage of his position to turn things around with Edward and Oheb joining hands. The Codebreakers then wiped out ECHO's remaining players before going straight and destroying the latter's base for the victory.

Oheb's Irithel exerted a 6/2/7 KDA while first-time World Championship-bound Renejay "RENEJAY" Barcase contributed 16 assists while dying once with Mathilda.

Yue and Oheb conspired for Blacklist in the Bo5 opener, with the former's Faramis listing two kills and eight assists while the latter's Irithel tallied eight kills and five assists.

The Codebreakers limited Benedict "Bennyqt" Gonzales' Wanwan to a kill and four assists, while Jaypee "Jaypee" dela Cruz's Kaja also struggled after falling down three times and dishing six assists.

Blacklist raced to a comfortable 2-0 lead in Game Two behind the 11 assists of Renejay's Mathilda as Dapadap chipped in a 5/6/3 line with Edith.

Stephen "Sensui" Castillo's Fredrinn's Appraiser's Wrath in the 24th minute slain the lord and Karl "KarlTzy" Nepomuceno's Baxia, giving the Codebreakers the number advantage to decimate ECHO.

Yawi returned to ECHO's main five in Game Three for his second start in the entire season. Denied of his four picks, Cabrera played with Khufra, and it paid off for the M4 champion.

Finishing with 10 assists, Yawi got named MVP of the third game, while Bennyqt's Beatrix registered three kills and seven assists without dying once.

Oheb's Bruno accounted for Blacklist's total six kills, but his death in the hands of Alston "Sanji" Pabico's Valentina in the late game prevented the Codebreakers from sweeping the Orcas.