All matches are set to be played at 9PM EST by default. If any casters are willing to cast these matches, please just post in the thread and I will edit it into the op!
(#1) It's Gosu eSports vs Team Clash (#8)
It's Gosu is an incredibly strong team with a deep lineup and it shows with their #1 seed heading into the playoffs. With players like dde, ostojiy, STX, VibE, Pokebunny, and several more top players, It's Gosu will be a very tough team to defeat. Clash, on the other hand, has been putting out some impressive performances recently, and was able to defeat Team Nightmares (#7) in order to secure a spot in the playoffs. Additionally, having several Koreans on Team Clash means a surprise upset is possible. However, I am still going to hand this match to It's Gosu and predict a 3-0 or 3-1 win.
Last time these two teams met in early December, It's Gosu won 4-0 (8-0).
+ Show Spoiler [GoSu vs Clash (Dec. 6)] +
GoSuKyhol 2-0 ClashSeryn
GoSuostojiy 2-0 ClashLegal
GoSuViBE 2-0 Clashpresto
GoSudde 2-0 ClashMook
It's Gosu 4-0 Team Clash
GoSuostojiy 2-0 ClashLegal
GoSuViBE 2-0 Clashpresto
GoSudde 2-0 ClashMook
It's Gosu 4-0 Team Clash
+ Show Spoiler [Results] +
GoSuostojiy 2-0 Clashpresto
GoSuHwangSin 2-0 ClashImagine
GoSuPokebunny 1-2 ClashPanther
GoSudde 2-0 ClashMook
It's Gosu 3-1 Team Clash
GoSuHwangSin 2-0 ClashImagine
GoSuPokebunny 1-2 ClashPanther
GoSudde 2-0 ClashMook
It's Gosu 3-1 Team Clash
(#5) vVv Gaming vs Team Legion (#4)
This matchup perhaps will be one of the tougher ones to call. Recent losses to Binary Gaming, LighT eSports, and a 0-4 loss to Vile Gaming makes me a bit worried for vVv. Granted, LighT and Vile are EXTREMELY strong teams, but I think a loss to bnY is a bit of a surprising result. (Apparently the match was 4-4, with a walkover in the last match). I think it will come down to RockEr's performance, as it seems he's been tearing it up in most of vVv's clan wars, as well as the efficacy of RuFF's "strategies." He is well known for somewhat cheesy, yet very creative play, and if Legion is caught off guard that will be great for vVv, but RuFF's play is pretty characteristic and I think Legion may be able to prepare for it.
Legion, like Team Clash, is another team with plenty of strong Korean players. Luxury, Boss, Mystic, and Chita are all players I expect to probably come out. However, I think this match can easily go either way. I predict that these teams will take the game to the ace match and only then will the victor be determined.
Last time these teams met in mid-December, Legion took out vVv in a close 3-2 match.
+ Show Spoiler [vVv vs Legion (Dec. 15)] +
vVvRockEr 1-2 LgNChiTa
vVvStarkad 0-2 LgNMystic
vVvTitan 2-1 LgNBoss
vVvRuFF 2-0 LgNLuxury
vVvRuFF 0-2 LgNChiTa
vVv Gaming 2-3 Team Legion
vVvStarkad 0-2 LgNMystic
vVvTitan 2-1 LgNBoss
vVvRuFF 2-0 LgNLuxury
vVvRuFF 0-2 LgNChiTa
vVv Gaming 2-3 Team Legion
+ Show Spoiler [Results] +
vVvStarkad 0-2 LgNBoss
vVvRockEr 0-2 LgNMystic
vVvReseT 1-2 LgNLuxury
vVvMurdeR 1-2 LgNChiTa
vVv Gaming 0-4 Team Legion
vVvRockEr 0-2 LgNMystic
vVvReseT 1-2 LgNLuxury
vVvMurdeR 1-2 LgNChiTa
vVv Gaming 0-4 Team Legion
(#3) LighT eSports vs Infinity Seven (#6)
You may have heard already, but LighT has just recently acquired Golden and Stalife. However, they will not be able to use them in the ESEA matches, as lineups are already locked. This does mean that LighT will not be quite as strong as it could be, however, LighT's lineup is still very strong with players like KawaiiRice, binski, heavonearth, Caliber, etc.
Infinity Seven's strongest players are probably Time, CrazyMoving, jEcho, Maker, Mentalist, Edge, and owmygroin. I am not sure who they will be running for this match, but I think it is almost certain that we will see jEcho on the field (haven't done research but I seem to almost always see him playing the matches for iS). Thundertoss recently joined iS as head coach and this will be probably the biggest debut performance. We'll have to see how iS does in this match! Thundertoss' wealth of knowledge (especially extensive knowledge of player's playstyles from Top 200 KOTH) very much might give iS the edge to beat out LighT.
However, in "light" of that fact, I think we will still see LighT taking this match pretty handily. But who knows!
History shows a very close 3-2 win for LighT back when they were the Kiwiclones in November. Also, LighT and Infinity Seven more recently met in the NASTL where LighT won 4-2 (thanks to selboN and Kawaii).
+ Show Spoiler [Kiwiclones vs iS (Nov. 3)] +
heavonearth 0-2 iSTime
Caliber 2-0 iSEdge
Nerzhul 2-0 owmygroin
binski 0-2 iSCrazyMoving
heavonearth 2-1 iSEdge
Kiwiclones 3-2 Infinity Seven
Caliber 2-0 iSEdge
Nerzhul 2-0 owmygroin
binski 0-2 iSCrazyMoving
heavonearth 2-1 iSEdge
Kiwiclones 3-2 Infinity Seven
+ Show Spoiler [Results] +
KawaiiLighT 0-2 iSCrazyMoving
SiN 1-2 iSTime
Heavon 2-1 iSEdge
binski 2-1 iSjEcho
KawaiiLighT 2-1 iSCrazyMoving (INTENSE SERIES)
Team LighT 3-2 Infinity Seven
SiN 1-2 iSTime
Heavon 2-1 iSEdge
binski 2-1 iSjEcho
KawaiiLighT 2-1 iSCrazyMoving (INTENSE SERIES)
Team LighT 3-2 Infinity Seven
(#2) CheckSix Gaming vs Team Nightmares (#7)
For the last matchup we have CheckSix vs NMx. Of course I will be rooting for my own team, but let me attempt to provide some objective information about both teams.
Nightmares has really been putting on a great performance this season and making a name for themselves while Checksix was the previous season's winners (walkover in the finals to EG). As such I think this is going to be a very exciting match. I've been consistently impressed by Nightmare's games, and their top player NMxMasa is definitely a huge threat to look out for.
Both teams just very recently played each other at the end of divisional play, with Checksix taking the win at a close 3-2 and ending Team Nightmares' 10 game winning streak.
+ Show Spoiler [xSix vs NMx (Jan. 10)] +
xSixMkengyn 1-2 NMxMasa
xSixSuppy 2-0 NMxhendralisk
xSixMystik 2-0 noxnz
xSixsycknesS 0-2 KimChiAstrea
xSixMystik 2-1 KimChiAstrea
CheckSix Gaming 3-2 Team Nightmares
xSixSuppy 2-0 NMxhendralisk
xSixMystik 2-0 noxnz
xSixsycknesS 0-2 KimChiAstrea
xSixMystik 2-1 KimChiAstrea
CheckSix Gaming 3-2 Team Nightmares
+ Show Spoiler [Results] +
NMxMasa 2-0 xSixBoO
NMxhendralisk 1-2 xSixVer
NMxPasildan 0-2 xSixMystik
NMxnoxnz 0-2 xSixSuppy
Team Nightmares 1-3 CheckSix Gaming
NMxhendralisk 1-2 xSixVer
NMxPasildan 0-2 xSixMystik
NMxnoxnz 0-2 xSixSuppy
Team Nightmares 1-3 CheckSix Gaming
____________________________________________________________
That's it for tomorrow's games, and I hope everyone is looking forward to them just as much as I am! I also apologize if I missed any players that deserve mention, in the future I will attempt to do more research to provide better details and information. GL to all teams tomorrow!
Link to brackets: http://esea.net/index.php?s=league&d=bracket&id=4476