Toshi, Dominator Esports outlast Team Secret to reach 2024 HoK Championship finals

JAKARTA — Filipino import Adrian "Toshi" Bacallo and his Dominator Esports averted a major collapse, denying Team Secret a reverse sweep with a 3-2 triumph during the 2024 Honor of Kings Championship lower bracket finals on Saturday night here. 

The hometown squad arranged a grand finals duel against Malaysia's Black Shrew Esports in a best-of-seven affair on Sunday at 7 p.m. (8 p.m. in Manila). 

Dominator Esports fought off fatigue, cruising to a dominant 2-0 start as both teams were coming off separate matches prior to their showdown. Dominator was fresh off a 3-1 loss to Black Shrew Esports in the upper bracket finals while Team Secret was coming off a 3-2 win over Nova Esports in the lower bracket semifinals earlier in the day. 

However, Team Secret regrouped and won the next two games to force a series deadlock and drag the Indonesians to a decider. 

The Malaysians were also on their way to completing a reverse sweep after midlaner Shisan (Angela) secured the tempest dragon at the 24th minute mark of Game 5 as four players from Dominator Esports were taken down as well. 

But the match had a huge turnaround when jungler Freddie, the only Dominator Esports player left, decided to single-handedly go for split push play and finish off the match with the help of the minions at the bottom lane. 

—JKC, GMA Integrated News