The defending champions are keeping a cool head amidst the fierce competition in MSC 2025.
SRG.OG’s coach Arcadia and his team are heading into MSC 2025 with a lot of eyes on their backs, whether it be from their fans or their enemies.
The three-time MPL Malaysia champions and defending MSC champions have a lot to live up to. They heralded the rise of Malaysia as a world contender last year, and many expect them to repeat that success. Coach Michael “Arcadia” Bocado, however, had one mandate to his boys to help them deal with that pressure and that was to have fun and enjoy the experience.
“Kasi yung training namin ay sobrang hirap na,” said SRG.OG’s coach Arcadia. “Ang dami naming dinaanan to make sure na 100% kami and maganda na yung form namin going into this tournament. We believe na achieve naman namin yung goals namin during training. So wala masyadong pressure. Gusto lang namin i-enjoy yung fruits of our labor.”
Of course, this doesn’t mean that the team is not taking MSC seriously. A million-dollar grand prize is not something you can ignore. It just means that SRG.OG is limiting their scope to what’s right in front of them, especially since every team is going to fight for the MSC trophy.
“Yung mga team ngayon, lahat sila malakas,” continued SRG.OG’s coach Arcadia. “Lahat talaga nag-step up, and it’s very healthy for the MLBB community when lahat ng teams ay competitive. Magfo-focus lang kami kung sino magtatapat sa amin. We don’t think too far ahead. Para sa akin mas importante na wag namin i-underestimate kung sino man matatapat namin.”
Working With Legends
The other thing to consider is the team’s partnership with the legendary esports organization OG. As one of the biggest names in the Dota 2 scene, their partnership with the Selangor Red Giants turned a lot of heads.
“Very honored kami makatrabaho with OG esports,” said SRG.OG’s coach Archadia. “Kasi alam naman natin na sobrang legendary yung pangalan nila. Every time naririnig mo yung OG esports naaalala mo si [Sebastien “Ceb” Debs], si [Johan “N0tail” Sundstein].”
One would think that this would mean more pressure for the team to perform, but it seems OG has been integral to SRG’s success. Coach Arcadia and the team have certainly learned a lot from them, especially from a well-known leader like Ceb.
“For me personally, I’m very honored na makatrabaho ko si Ceb kasi marami siya natulong sa akin. Marami din siya naturo sa team namin, and we have a good working relationship with him. It’s very helpful for us, especially when it comes to our mental fortitude.”
Banner photo from Selangor Red Giants Esports.