Headed to TI7: Team NP, ready to make a statement?

All of a sudden Team NP looks ready to make a statement. By claiming 1st Place at The International 2017 North America Qualifier, Planet Odd or Digital Chaos will have to miss out. I consider this tragic, but I’m proud of Team NP for telling both teams to step aside.

I’ve had my doubts about Team NP here and there, surely. The end of 2016 was very rocky for these guys, but it’s taken less than one year for NP to gain the experience necessary to sprint into TI7.

Lookin’ ready to make a statement in August

The upswing began after a dead last finish at DAC 2017. Team NP doesn’t play in a lot of tournaments. They’re very picky about showing up, which I consider classy from an organizational standpoint. Some tournaments aren’t really worth your time. Sometimes you need to practice, and sometimes you need to study the competition without allowing them to study you. It’s all about taking advantage of your time, and Team NP has been doing their homework.

NP lost one game in the group stage, and it came at the hands of the other 8-1 squad. Team Freedom met Team NP in a tiebreaker for 1st Place. Winning this Bo1 sent NP to TI7.

Who takes NA’s final slot at TI7?

Though four teams are still in the running, I say only three have a legitimate chance at advancing. compLexity Gaming (5-4) is not one of the three. They lost to two of the three remaining teams during the group stage, so it doesn’t look good for them.

That leaves Team freedom (8-1), Planet Odd (6-3), and Digital Chaos (5-4, players formerly called Team Onyx). If you’re a betting guy or a betting girl, your best bet is Planet Odd. These guys have been there before. If take a look at SEA, you’ll notice that big game experience leads to repeat appearances at The International. I wouldn’t be surprised if losing that 1st Place tiebreaker leads to the collapse of Team Freedom.

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