STG News
The Overwatch League’s regular season concluded yesterday (US Time), with the Los Angeles Valiant (27-13) defeating the New York Excelsior (34-6) at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles. The Valiant won the best-of-five series 3-1 and earns a $100,000 USD bonus. New York will take home a $25,000 USD bonus as the runner-up.
Valiant’s roster includes two Australians – Support Player, Scott ‘Custa’ Kennedy and Assistant Coach, Jordan ‘Gunba’ Graham – both of whom have played an integral role in their team’s ascent up the ranks throughout Season 1 to now claim their first stage victory.
Los Angeles Valiant. Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
Matches commenced with Stage 4’s best teams squaring off in a bracket-style format, with the top-seeded Los Angeles Gladiators (25-15) having the opportunity to select their first round opponent. The Gladiators chose their crosstown rivals, but the Valiant escaped with a narrow 3-2 win. The other semifinals match featured New York against the resurgent Dallas Fuel, with the Excelsior winning a 3-2 thriller.
The top six teams advance to the playoffs. The New York Excelsior and Los Angeles Valiant – as winners of the Atlantic and Pacific Divisions, respectively – earn a first-round bye.
New York Excelsior. Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment.
Quarterfinals games take place on the 12th, 14th and 15th July 2018 AEST / NZST. Third-seeded Boston Uprising (26-14) takes on the sixth-seeded Philadelphia Fusion (24-16), and the fourth-seeded Gladiators play the fifth-seeded London Spitfire (24-16) in best-of-three series.
Semifinals matchups are played the following week in the same format. The playoff schedule can be found HERE
The semifinals winners will advance to the league’s Grand Finals, which will be played on the 28th and 29th of July 2018 A at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
[rns_reactions]