After the first day of the Overwatch League which shattered a massive number of brackets almost anything could (and would) go for the remaining playoffs. Teams are vying to cement their legacy in the third season, and the ferocity was present from most teams.
The Paris Eternal were number four in the rankings, hosting the indomitable Sp9rkle and Lucio-king FDGOD and coming in hot from a fantastic season. While there was a bit of a gap between the two, we just watched the reigning champions struggle to defend themselves against a massive underdog, and anything could still happen.
The NA quarterfinals began on Busan’s MEKA base with the Reign running a Reinhardt/D.Va combo with Mei/Reaper DPS, while Sp9rkle took Sombra and NicoGDH took Reaper; closely fought but the Reign took MEKA with relative ease. Downtown was the second map and the Reign took early first control while almost spawn-camping the Eternal; multiple respawns, and multiple dives into their backline that was almost difficult to watch.
Paris didn’t put a single percentage on the board and Atlanta took the first map with concerning ease, despite the Paris having multiple players able to touch the point to extend overtime and draw out the fight.
The second map was the hybrid King’s Row, featuring a first point that must be captured before teams escort a cart down the street in the dead of the night; the Reign were on attack and both teams ran similar compositions initially, with Reign opting for a Reaper while Eternal opted for XZI on McCree. Justice took the first point after a belated battle, and Paris were stuck attempting to hold in the streets with Mei throwing ice walls to siphon and funnel the Reign; which worked as Paris continued with withering fire as the Reign made their way through the foundry of the third point where they were held.
Paris was then on attack, and the first point fell after another lengthy fight that had both teams struggling to clear the objective; clear it the Paris did, however, and they continued to succeed as both teams threw their ults shortly after the first point cap and Paris came out well ahead, allowing them to stroll through the remaining street of the second point. There was 3:45 left for Paris to pass the Reign, and a D. Va bomb from Paris cleared the point and allowed the 1:1 scoreline.
Temple of Anubis was up next, with Atlanta Reign first up on attack in a modern dive comp featuring Sombra and Moira as modern editions, allowing them to take the Paris off guard and grabbing the first point with ease; the second point was a far headier task, however, and they were able to grab the second point only with 5.5 seconds remaining. Paris had a far more difficult fight as the Reign took advantage of backline diving to shatter the Eternal consistently, and managed to put up a point after a beleaguered overtime. Both teams had roughly a minute to attack again, and Paris was up first.
The Reign put forth a massive defense with Edison on Reaper, matching the Eternal’s own Reaper; Reign triumphed as the Eternal; only had thirty seconds to mount a successful second point capture which they failed to do. The Reign had their win condition in sight, and they brought it to fully bear against the Eternal as they wiped through both points in almost record speed, giving the Atlanta Reign their second point on the third map.
Watchpoint: Gibraltar was up next with Paris Eternal beginning on offense and managed a team wipe which took the high ground from Reign during the second point push; further taken advantage of by NicoGDH’s Reaper for the Eternal; over four minutes to capture the third point on Eternal’s first run which proved to be an arsenal just large enough as they crossed the finish in overtime after a frenzied fight. The Atlanta Reign struggled to mount a successful attack, however, and was less than a meter away from the first point when they were blasted off of the cart, giving the Paris Eternal an additional point and bringing play level again.
2:2, and Ilios was up to decide who was walking away in the upper bracket; both teams were playing astoundingly well, and it was a toss-up as to who would actually walk away again. Another control decider, as is quickly becoming tradition.
Ilios Lighthouse was up first, and Reign brought out a Tracer/Ashe combo with a Mercy healer from Masaa that would dive into the fray to heal, and dive out using Sharp’s Ashe as a target. The strategy worked as Reign sat comfortably on the point for almost 90% before Eternal could pull it away briefly; Reign dropped in again and came out ahead in the fray, coming out 100-39.
Ilios Well was next, the fearful map with a massive chasm in the center that neither team opted to attempt to work with outside of a Lucio pick; both teams ran a Reaper/Sombra/Winston/D.Va/Moira/Lucio comp, but Reign looked a bit more competent on it as they took the first control and massed up a massive 99% that turned into a lengthy brawl that culminated with Edison on Reaper pushing out a massive death blossom ult on point; 100/0.
Paris Eternal drop into the lower bracket, and the Reign continue to charge forward. It was a completely different Reign that played, versus what we saw against the Boston Uprising yesterday; aside from the few knocked out, this tournament could ultimately end in favor of any team.
