by Wunder

WCS AM continues with day two of it’s Ro16 groups, this time featuring a trio of Koreans with international benefactors, along with the lone Australian representing his country. Can mOOnGLaDe continue his wild streak? Will Korean Terrans threaten to dominate all three WCS regions?



Match 1: coL.TheStC vs. Quantic.Apocalypse

Our first match comes to us courtesy of the multitude of American teams that have decided to pick up wandering ronin Koreans and have brought them under the wing of freedom and liberty, in hopes that they will soar like eagles under the banner of the red, white and blue. At first glance it’s easy to shrug off Apocalypse's chances in this first match. Overshadowed by Complexity’s TheStC both in results and popularity, Apocalypse hasn’t ever had a breakthrough run in a tournament before, with this WCS America run being his personal best. So what’s stopping us from dismissing Apocalypse from the get-go?

Well, for one, TvT has been his best match-up throughout Wings and continues to be in Heart of the Swarm. Though there isn’t much data, he steamrolled through Fenix in his Ro32 group and he took MVP’s Dream down in the Acer Teamstory Cup as well. Maybe he doesn't have the name value of the other players in this group, but this is his chance to prove to the world that his Ro32 result wasn’t just a fluke and he is here for a reason. If he should make it through to the Ro8 when teammate HyuN hasn't even made Challenger... well, that would be something to talk about.

While Apocalypse has a lot to prove, it’s looks to be all in a day’s work for Complexity’s TheStC. Ending Wings with a slew of top 8 finishes in premier tournaments, his momentum has slowed somewhat in Heart of the Swarm, with only sporadic appearances in the Acer TeamStory Cup as well as online tournaments. However, after getting first in his Ro32 group, TheStC looks to be back on form and is the one to beat in this group. It still remains to be seen though, as he hasn’t played enough games in Heart of the Swarm for us to say that he’s 100% back to his Wings of Liberty form, especially in TvT and TvP.


Match 2: AX.CranK vs. Nv.mOOnGLaDe

It’s a battle of fan favorites in our next match, with Axiom’s CranK up against Australia’s Sweetheart, Nv’s mOOnGLaDe. From a personal sponsorship to being a captain of a team, Crank has been doing very well for himself throughout the end of 2012 and the start of 2013. CranK has been doing especially swimmingly in recent weeks, playing a key part in Axiom Acer's current #1 GSTL position, both in and outside the booth. Crank himself picked up the clutch ace match victory against Azubu's Symbol last weekend, which has got to have him feeling good.

Meanwhile, our Australian player hasn’t been doing as well as his opponent in his home country's leagues, falling out the Australian Cyber League last April in some bracket phase ZvZ's. On the other hand he's done well in the overseas WCS America, defeating Illusion and Maker to reach the Ro16.

In terms of data for this match, there's not much to go by in mOOnGLaDe's case, with just a 0 - 2 loss to Light in the aforementioned ACL on his HotS record. With CranK defeating Sen in his Ro32 group and Symbol just a few days ago, mOOnGLaDe will be hard pressed to win.

Outlook and Predictions

A new day dawns, and with it exists the possibility for these players to make a name for themselves in the new expansion. Dominating this group would make a mark on not only WCS AM but their careers, a much needed boost for some and a potential life saver for others. With two big names tossed into the ring, the underdogs will have a chance to prove themselves and finally get the recognition they deserve.

TheStC > Apocalypse
CranK > mOOnGLaDe
TheStC > CranK
mOOnGLaDe > Apocalypse
mOOnGLaDe > CranK

TheStC and mOOnGLaDe advance