Incredible Comeback: 100 Thieves Wins Longest Game of NA LCS Split
In one of the longest games of the NA LCS this split, 100 Thieves pulled off an impressive victory over Clutch Gaming after a grueling 50-minute match.
100 Thieves employed a gold funnel team composition, a popular strategy in this split, with Cody Sun and Zaqueri “Aphromoo” Black playing Xayah and Rakan in the mid lane, William “Meteos” Hartman and Yoo “Ryu” Sang-wook as Tahm Kench and Morgana in the bot lane, and Kim “Ssumday” Chan-ho dominating the top lane with Jax. This lineup perfectly exemplified the 2018 Summer Split meta.
Everything started according to plan for 100 Thieves. Cody Sun established a significant gold lead in the mid lane and secured a few kills during the mid-game. This early advantage was crucial for their gold funnel strategy, focusing on their key carry.
With a comfortable gold lead, Cody Sun and his team controlled the map. They dictated the pace of the game, engaging in fights on their terms. However, everything changed during the crucial Baron fight.
One of the drawbacks of using gold funneling compositions is that players who aren’t accustomed to jungling are tasked with using Smite, a crucial ability for securing objectives. Inexperienced players suddenly found themselves in a position where they needed to out-Smite enemy junglers for major objectives. It should come as no surprise, then, that the Baron fight proved to be their downfall.
100 Thieves made a valiant attempt to secure the Baron, setting up the play perfectly. However, Cody Sun, unaccustomed to using Smite, forgot to use it entirely. Clutch Gaming’s support, Nickolas “Hakuho” Surgent, took advantage of this mistake, cast Zyra’s ultimate, and stole the Baron. Clutch Gaming suddenly found themselves back in the game, on the verge of victory. Only Ssumday’s incredible Jax mechanics prevented them from closing out the game.
After a long and arduous battle, 100 Thieves managed to claw their way back and secure the win after 50 grueling minutes. While they emerged triumphant, it is concerning that one missed Baron played such a significant role in disrupting their gameplay.
If 100 Thieves wants to reach the finals once again, they need to address these issues. They must overcome the tilt factor when leads slip away and find ways to establish early advantages, which has been their Achilles’ heel.
100 Thieves’ next game is scheduled for tomorrow against OpTic Gaming.