The USC Vamos Warriors Valorant team. | CEL photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of San Carlos (USC) Vamos Warriors kept their championship hopes alive in the Cesafi Esports League (CEL) Season 3 Valorant tournament after a dominant lower bracket victory against the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Adelante Jaguars.
USC, last year’s runners-up, swept USJ-R, 2-0, in their best-of-three showdown held at the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) campus, securing a spot in the lower bracket semifinals last Sunday, April 6.
Johanssen Abatayo and King Clarence Toston led the charge for the Vamos Warriors, shining in Games 1 and 2, respectively.
READ: UC, USJ-R cruise to CEL Season 3 Valorant playoffs
Abatayo delivered a gritty performance in Game 1, notching 21 kills, two assists, and 271 average combat score despite 21 deaths in their tight 13-10 win.
Toston took over in Game 2, racking up 18 kills, three assists, and a clean 300 average combat score in USC’s lopsided 13-4 triumph to close out the series.
Meanwhile, the University of Cebu (UC) Ronin Webmasters also booked their place in the lower bracket semis after dispatching the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers with back-to-back 13-5 victories.
Richard Casinillo Jr. was a one-man wrecking crew for UC. He dominated Game 1 with 24 kills, two assists, and nine deaths, then followed up with 18 kills, four assists, and just eight deaths in Game 2 to seal the sweep.
The CEL Season 3 Valorant semifinals is set for April 13. In the lower bracket, USC will face UC Main, while defending champions UC Mandaue Lapu-Lapu (UCLM) will take on host school CIT-U in the upper bracket semifinals.