Sentinels vs. Paper Rex: The AfreecaTV VALORANT League Grand Final
Get ready, VALORANT fans, for the showdown of the season! The AfreecaTV VALORANT League Grand Final is over, and we just witnessed a battle of epic proportions. Sentinels and Paper Rex both had their Valorant crosshair locked in the prize, and are set to prove once and for all who the best team in the world really is.
The journey to the grand final has been nothing short of an epic adventure. Sentinels secured their spot by defeating Team Liquid in a nail-biting semi-final. Meanwhile, Paper Rex destroyed T1 in a spectacular APAC derby, setting the stage for an incredible final featuring the two favorites to win the AfreecaTV Valorant League.
The best-of-five grand final kicked off on Sunday, December 10, at 8AM GMT. Beyond the glory of victory, there was a substantial US$25,000 prize to boost one team’s wallet and, of course, the coveted bragging rights on the line. Even though this was an OFF//SEASON event, this competition has been one of the most exciting in Valorant history, offering fans a true Esports experience to remember.
Sentinels, VALORANT’s Dark Horse
For Sentinels, this Seoul event has been more than just a battleground; it's been a canvas for experimentation. The debug of in-game leader Mouhamed “johnqt” Ouarid and the return of Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro have proven to boost the team’s strategic advantage. It's a lineup shaping up to be Sentinels' most promising since their triumph at VALORANT Masters Reykjavík two years ago and you won’t need a VALORANT stat tracker to see how strong they really are.
While strategy is essential in-game, Sentinels have also been using this event to evolve beyond the server. Trying out new things inside and outside the game has been a hallmark of their OFF//SEASON experience.
Paper Rex, The Grand Finalists
On the opposing side, Paper Rex is no stranger to grand finals. This team, used to playing in high-stakes matches, has been actively rotating and experimenting with all six of their players. Wang “Jinggg” Jing Jie, in particular, has been a key figure in their tactical rotations.
The grand final carried added weight for both teams as they bear the pride and expectations of their respective regions. Paper Rex, the VCT Pacific champions, seeked to reaffirm their dominance after finishing as runners-up at VALORANT Champions LA. Sentinels, now the NA flag bearers, want to fill the empty space left by the 2023 VALORANT world champions, Evil Geniuses.
Here are the squads for both finalists:
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Paper Rex: Khalish “d4v41” Rusyaidee Ilia “something” Petrov Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto Aaron “mindfreak” Leonhart Cahya “Monyet” Nugraha Wang “Jinggg” Jing Jie Alexandre “alecks” Sallé (Head coach) |
Sentinels: Zachary “zekken” Patrone Gustavo “Sacy” Rossi Tyson “TenZ” Ngo Mouhamed “johnqt” Ouarid Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro Bryan “pANcada” Luna Adam “kaplan” Kaplan (Head coach) Drew “DrewSpark” Spark-Whitworth (Coach) |
After an amazing match with some of the best VALORANT action we’ve ever seen, with each team doing their best, boosting their teammates and giving it their all to reach the top, team Sentinels defeated Paper Rex despite their best effort, becoming the AfreecaTV VALORANT League Champions for 2023!
Congratulations Sentinels! This squad continues to represent the best part of VALORANT, showing that they can fill the void left by Evil Geniuses, step up and become CHAMPIONS.
We can’t wait to see what’s next for Sentinels, but we’ll be cheering them on every step of the way!
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