Sharp makes the inaugural SSL season finals, just like he did for the first season of ASL but can he beat the 2 time defending champion Soulkey who looks to make it a 3-peat?

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It's almost a full circle moment for Sharp, who was in the finals of the first ASL and to now make it to the first finals of the SSL. He unfortunately lost that finals series to Shuttle and the only thing that stands between him breaking the loop or completing it again is Soulkey.

The very same Soulkey who has had the entire competition in a chokehold for over a year now with back to back ASL victories and is on the cusp turning that into a 3-peat. A feat so far only achieved by Flash.

Sharp and Soulkey have faced off against each other multiple times over the years and Soulkey has won every series, most notably, this is not the first time they’ve faced each other in an offline finals, Soulkey beat Sharp 4-1 in the finals of KSL2.

Maps:

Game 1: Pantheon - Sharp pick
ZT: 80 wins, 119 losses (40.2%)

During the series against Light, Soulkey did pretty much outsmart light by taking the mineral only base which distracted light for a significant portion of the game that caused the one and only terran loss against zerg on the map, a strategy that very much is a one time thing and something he had to do because this map doesn’t let you have a 3rd gas easily.

Sharp needs to play the map normally and scout well if he wants to take the victory because his mechanics aren’t the problem he can keep up with Soulkey and the map is very much on his side.

Game 2: Dominator - Soulkey pick
ZT: 90 wins, 128 losses (41.3%)

Given the nature of this season being one of taking big risks for strong early games, Dominator is a great map for 8 rax or BBS, its not Sharp’s pick and its early in the series, Sharp will want to throw Soulkey off. Conversely if Soulkey is going to take the role as aggressor, I foresee mutas into lurker contain/drop to kill sharp off or get him stuck in a long contain while Soulkey takes the rest of the map.

Game 3: Deja Vu - Sharp pick
ZT: 119 wins, 141 losses (45.8%)

Deja vu is a great map for mech switch, control the high ground with early bio and switch to mech. Or maybe he just gets lucky with a close spawn 8 rax win like Light did. I don’t see soulkey trying for a 12 hatch on this map, he’s definitely going to cover the gaps he had from his series with light.

Game 4: KICK BACK - Soulkey pick
ZT: 64 wins, 82 losses (43.8%)

Nothing is stopping Soulkey from getting a 3rd gas on this map, the map is made for crazy zerg and so long as he’s able to not let Sharp really confirm thats what he’s going for it should be Soulkey’s game to win, on the safe side for Sharp he should just straight up open mech here, scout to confirm but if you’re expecting fast Ultras that come from crazy zerg then mech is the play to curb it.


Game 5: Minstrel - Sharp pick
ZT: 45 wins, 81 losses (35.7%)

Sharp picked Minstrel pretty late in the series, maybe he’s shaken from his match against hero. Still this is not a good map for zerg, in the case of what happened for Soulkey vs Light it was just that Light was pretty much mentally broken down by that point and couldn’t keep up.

Sharp just needs to just play it safe and scout better, not knowing the defences at hero’s 3rd is what cost him his only loss in that series. Minstrel is Sharp’s map to lose.

Game 6: Monty Hall - Soulkey pick
ZT: 46 wins, 53 losses (46.5%)

Soulkey picked Monty Hall for a reason, I’d love to know what it is but we haven’t seen him play on the map this season, Sharp pulled that impressive 3 port wraith off 1 base against hero to great success, will we see something same from him?

Game 2: Radeon - Decider
ZT: 412 wins, 403 losses (50.6%)

Radeon is the only map where you can’t play the map, you have to play your opponent, if we somehow get to game 7 this is where we see who is the better player and when it comes down to it, that player is Soulkey, if you’re rooting for Sharp better hope it doesn't come down to this.

For Sharp its all about preparation and scouting, play the man not the race.

By the records the maps are on Terran’s side against Zerg, but of course Soulkey isn’t any ordinary zerg. By history its also entirely on Soulkey’s side and Sharp has only ever managed to take a game or two in a long series against Soulkey and never actually defeat him in one.

If Soulkey wins this, he will cement his legacy and we might need to consider bringing up the B word again.

Soulkey to win SSL Autumn 2024!

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Writers: BLinD-RawR
Graphics: v1
Editors: BLinD-RawR