Sibol banks on world experience in Pokemon Unite Asiad bid
MANILA, Philippines — The country's national esports team, Sibol, will look to apply its recent international experience into the 20th Asian Games when its Pokemon Unite team opens its campaign Friday at the Aichi Sky Expo in Japan.
The Philippine squad is composed of Kim Rey Salazar, Michael Vaughn Ocio, Ducke Leoncio, Lawrence Gatmaitan, Robert Mempin and Lance David, with Albert Camp serving as head coach.
The same core competed as Team Nemesis at the Pokemon Unite World Championship in San Francisco last month, where it finished joint ninth to 16th.
“Sa performance namin last month sa World Championship, kami ata ang pinaghahandaan nilang lahat. Pero hindi ako overconfident. Ayaw ko i-underestimate ang kalaban,” said Camp.
The team will begin their campaign against Kazakhstan at 11:50 a.m. on September 25 before taking on Chinese Taipei at 9 a.m. and Malaysia at 2:40 p.m. on September 26.
Camp said the Filipinos are familiar with two of their group-stage opponents after repeatedly facing Chinese Taipei and Malaysia in international competition.
“Maganda para sa amin ang bracket namin. Nakalaban na namin ang Chinese Taipei at Malaysia multiple times over the past four years,” said Camp.
Despite that familiarity, Camp stressed the need for the squad to adjust quickly in a game where momentum can shift rapidly.
“Sa Pokemon Unite game, mabilis mabaliktad ang laro. So ang expectation namin ay maging handa din sa mga ipapakitang surprise strategy ng kalaban. For us to achieve this, kailangan namin maging in-sync with proper communication and right state of mind during the games para makuha ang gold.” said Camp.
The Philippines is seeking its first esports medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Games after its Naraka: Bladepoint squad bowed out in the group stage in the opening day of the esports events.
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