Blacklist champion coach Bon Chan to take a break in MPL PH Season 11

Champion coach Kristoffer "Bon Chan" Ricaplaza won't be joining Blacklist International when the team tries to defend its title in the upcoming Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 11.

According to Blacklist, Bon Chan will take a break for the new season after years of nonstop coaching that saw him steer the Codebreakers to various local and international titles highlighted by the M3 World Championship in December 2021.

Blacklist MLBB Update:

Kristoffer Ed "BON CHAN" Ricaplaza is taking a break this MPL Season 11.

Coach Bon Chan is the mastermind who led the creation of our world champion UBE strat. pic.twitter.com/ShCBNAZH2w

— BLACKLIST INTERNATIONAL ???? (@BLACKLISTINTL) February 6, 2023

"[Bon Chan is] the man who steered us to three MPL PH championships and to back-to-back appearances at the M-series World Championship," Blacklist said in a Twitter post Monday.

"While we will miss his leadership in the bootcamp and in our huddle rooms, we will always remember him as a mentor and a legend of PH MLBB."

Bon Chan has been the Blacklist tactician since the MPL PH Season 5 and after two seasons with the team, he was able to steer the Tier One-owned squad to its first-ever championship after they ruled Season 7. They then dominated the following edition, taking home the Season 8 crown and, most importantly, a ticket to the world stage.

With Bon Chan at the helm, Blacklist swept compatriot Onic Philippines in their M3 title duel to clinch the world championship.

The core of their team also represented the Philippines in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in May 2022 against rival Indonesia.

Bon Chan and Blacklist weren't able to make it three titles in a row in the local scene as they had an early exit in Season 9, but reigned supreme once more in Season 10. They also reached the grand finals of the M4 World Championship last month, but fell short of back-to-back world titles as they lost to Echo in a sweep.

"This is not the last time we will see Coach Bon Chan in BLCK colors," the team added.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA Integrated News