TES Faces Massive Backlash Due to 369
On March 15, the semifinals of First Stand 2025 officially kicked off with noteworthy results. KC achieved a sweet revenge against CFO, defeating the LCP representative with a close score of 3-2. In the other match, HLE showcased overwhelming strength against TES, securing an easy 3-0 victory. With this result, the championship match of First Stand 2025 will be a clash between HLE and KC.
One of the highlights in the match between HLE and TES was the controversial “crocodile dance” by 369. This incident occurred at the 27th minute of the match when 369 was separated from his teammates. Instead of trying to escape, he stood still and performed Renekton’s dance in front of the opponents and was quickly taken down. In the post-match interview, 369 shared some interesting insights about this decision.
“Actually, in that situation, my teammates mispositioned and were mostly taken down. By the time I arrived, the outcome was already decided, so I didn’t use Flash or try to activate my ultimate to escape. It’s hard to run away from Ashe with all her abilities and her teammates around. I thought I should conserve resources to defend the base in the next situation” – 369 shared after the match.
Immediately after this interview was widely shared, it sparked even more intense criticism directed at TES. It’s worth noting that in the situation leading to the skirmish, TES members intentionally attacked HLE even when 369 had not Teleported there yet. This indicates that communication and coordination among TES members were extremely poor, leading them to be easily defeated by HLE.
TES Needs to Improve Quickly to Avoid a “Disastrous” Season
In recent years, TES has always been a strong team in the LPL but has disappointed on the international stage. Just in the 2024 season, TES was eliminated by G2 with a score of 0-3 at MSI and only reached the quarterfinals at the 2024 World Championship. Even with the recruitment of Kanavi to replace Tian, their performance and playstyle have not improved. In fact, TES’s continuous failures against representatives from LCP and LEC show that this team’s strength has declined compared to the previous season.
Nevertheless, TES currently still has a rare bright spot named 369, who has been performing well recently. Perhaps the coaching staff of TES needs to make tactical adjustments to leverage this strength in the upcoming matches. If not, they may face “disastrous” results for the remainder of the season.