Paper Rex’s Clutch Play Solidifies Their Masters Tokyo Run
The 2023 VALORANT Champions Tour season came to an end a month ago, allowing fans to reflect on some of the most memorable moments of the year. For the Paper Rex team, one play stood out as it defined their journey in Masters Tokyo.
Patiphan “CGRS” Posri and Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto recently revisited their thrilling overtime win against NRG on Pearl. It was a nail-biting moment where their substitute player capitalized on a critical mistake, securing the round and eventually the series. This moment proved to be one of the most iconic plays of the year, bringing both agony and elation to fans depending on their allegiance.
At the Masters Tokyo tournament in June 2023, Paper Rex’s star duelist Ilya “something” Petrov was unable to attend. CGRS stepped in as a substitute and impressed everyone with a remarkable clutch in an almost unwinnable situation. With only seconds remaining in a one-vs-one scenario, CGRS chased down NRG’s Sam “s0m” Oh, securing the overtime round win.
S0m initially played the scenario flawlessly, using Harbor Cove to conceal himself. However, CGRS anticipated the move, rushed into the cove, and quickly eliminated S0m. In a stroke of bad luck, S0m mistimed his shots and died seconds before potentially winning the round.
Following the Masters Tokyo tournament, CGRS never played another match for Paper Rex. On September 11, he announced his departure from the organization. Nevertheless, his indelible mark was made, showcasing his aggressiveness alongside his teammates and capitalizing on an opponent’s error. This moment became a part of VALORANT esports’ highlight videos, notably in a compilation featuring pros reacting to unique moments from Masters Tokyo (click here to watch).
CGRS and f0rsakeN had a chance to revisit this memorable play and share their thoughts. According to f0rsakeN, he had called for CGRS to rush, fully aware of s0m’s anticipated moves.
“As a content creator, I knew that s0m was going to do something like this for sure,” f0rsakeN said in the video. “Losing that round would have put us at a disadvantage, potentially losing the map. Winning the round boosted our mood, regained momentum, and ultimately led us to victory.”
CGRS stated that he will cherish that moment forever. It is understandable since Paper Rex signed him primarily as a content creator rather than an active substitute. Adding humor, f0rsakeN commented, “I think it’s a nightmare for s0m too,” eliciting chuckles from both players.
While there were other notable misplay highlights from Masters Tokyo and the 2023 season, only a few affected specific fans as deeply as this one. NRG, a team with a history of falling short, faced a devastating loss despite competing against a substitute-filled team. This misplay may have served as the catalyst for their offseason roster changes.
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