Latest news with #MidSeasonCup
New Straits Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Selangor Red Giants ready to roar into Mid Season Cup defence
KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor Red Giants (SRG. OG) believe they have matured into a stronger, more composed team as they prepare to defend their Mid Season Cup (MSC) title at the eSports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 23-Aug 2. The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) powerhouse made history by winning the MSC on debut in Riyadh last year. Coach Michael Angelo Bocado, better known as Arcadia, knows the road to a second title will be far tougher. The Filipino tactician believes his players have grown significantly since that historic win, with their maturity evident in their recent Mobile Legends: MPL Malaysia (MPL MY) campaign, where they secured a third consecutive league title last month. "We're ready for the MSC mission," said Bocado at the Malaysia Esports Accelerator Programme (MEAP) launch at the ESI Hub, Spacerubix in Puchong on Thursday. "We've had enough time to adapt to the meta and are now very confident in our understanding of the game. "There's a huge difference from last year — then, it was our first international event together, and we lacked experience. Now, we're calmer, more seasoned, and we know what to expect at this level." SRG. OG are among nine Malaysian eSports teams to receive MEAP funding, ranging from RM5,000 to RM40,000, to help cover costs for international tournaments. Other MLBB recipients include Homebois and Navi eSports, while Nova eSports, Black Shrew eSports, and Alpha Gaming (Honor of Kings) also received support. Homebois will compete in the eFootball Championship Open in Japan, WPS Hariz will feature in the IESF World Esports Championship, and Axle Sports will represent Malaysia at the Asia Pacific Motorsport Championship. Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim said eSports has evolved beyond leisure into a billion-ringgit industry. "MEAP reflects the government's commitment to supporting local talent on the global stage," said Adam. "The programme does not just focus on gameplay but also addresses the mental and physical wellbeing of players. "We'll expand MEAP to include other titles like Tekken 8, Street Fighter, and Tetris — even if they don't have official competitions. "Any Malaysian representing the country internationally remains eligible for MEAP support. We won't let our talents miss these opportunities."
New Straits Times
16-06-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Homebois mental strength still lacking, says coach
KUALA LUMPUR: Homebois coach Ervan "Erpang" Pratama stressed that his charges must improve their mental strength if they are to have any chance against the world's best at the Mid Season Cup x Esports World Cup (MSC x EWC) in Riyadh next month. Homebois suffered a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Selangor Red Giants ( in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Malaysia (MPL MY) Season 15 Grand Finals on Sunday (June 15). Ervan believes mental strength is what separated the two sides. Both and Homebois will compete at MSC x EWC. "I feel that right now, mentally, we're not ready for MSC. But if we assess the team's progress in terms of gameplay, I believe we can still be competitive," he said. "I don't agree that the gap (between and Homebois) in terms of gameplay is that wide. The real gap was in terms of mentality. "We don't yet have the mentality that possesses. Their focus is already on an international level. Perhaps for Homebois, we are still at the MPL MY level. "We need to build a champion's mentality — not just a 'we want to qualify for MSC' mentality, or a second-place mentality. We can't afford to think like that if we want to compete internationally." Ervan rejected suggestions that his side had been completely outplayed in the Grand Final, pointing out that Homebois had opportunities to take control, particularly in the second and third games. "During games two and three, I felt we had a chance to win, it's just that we didn't perform as we had hoped," he said. Ervan remains optimistic his team has the potential to finish in the top four at MSC x EWC.
The Sun
16-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
SRG.OG turn focus to MSC title defence
KUALA LUMPUR: Fresh from clinching a hat-trick of titles at Season 15 Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Malaysia Professional League (MPLMY) yesterday, Selangor Red Giants ( are now shifting focus to the Mid Season Cup (MSC) to be held in conjunction with the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in July. Selangor Red Giants Esports chairman Simon Lim said the players will be given a seven-day break before resuming training to prepare for their MSC title defence. 'We are going to defend our MSC crown, and it won't be easy. As you can see, every team has improved their gameplay. 'However, I have full confidence in our players and coaches. Who knows, we might even become back-to-back MSC champions,' he said in a statement today. made history last year by becoming the first Malaysian team to win the MSC, defeating Filipino side AP Bren Sport 4-2 in the final. The breakthrough also ended a seven-year title drought for Malaysian teams at international MLBB tournaments. Malaysia will be represented by two teams at MSC 2025, with Homebois also qualifying as MPLMY Season 15 runners-up. Simon also credited MPLMY title hat-trick to the dedication and hard work of the players and coaches, who sacrificed their time and energy to retain the trophy. 'Whenever the players weren't satisfied with how a scrim session went, they would be the ones asking for extra scrims. 'They were willing to go the extra mile, put in more effort, and this is the reward they have earned,' he said. Yesterday, became the first team to complete an MPLMY championship hat-trick after defeating Homebois 4-0 in the grand final at Stadium Juara, Bukit Kiara.
New Straits Times
15-06-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Selangor Red Giants complete historic three-peat in MPL Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor Red Giants ( skipped Hari Raya Aidiladha celebrations and were rewarded with history. The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) juggernaut made it three league titles in a row after dismantling Homebois 4-0 in the MPL Malaysia (MPL MY) Season 15 Grand Final at Juara Stadium, Bukit Kiara, on Sunday. had edged Homebois 3-2 in a tense upper bracket final two weeks earlier, but there was no room for doubt in the final — just domination. Coach Michael Angelo Bocado, better known as Arcadia, said the team were determined to make a statement. "We wanted the sweep because the last time it was too close," said the Filipino coach. "We set a goal to show that the gap is wide. The team trained hard over the past two weeks and made sacrifices, including giving up their Raya break, to achieve this. "Even though we didn't play any matches before the final, we felt we had the momentum. I'm proud of how we performed, this is a glorious reward for our hard work." became the first team to win three consecutive MPL Malaysia league titles, having already made history last season as the first to win back-to-back crowns. Team co-founder Simon Lim lauded his players for bouncing back after their third-place finish at the M6 World Championships on home soil in December. "After the disappointment of M6, the boys said they wanted to improve. They were willing to put in the extra hours," said Simon. "This three-peat is a result of that hunger. "But we're not done yet. We've got a bigger challenge coming — to defend our Mid Season Cup (MSC) title. We'll take a week off to rest and then all focus goes to Riyadh." and Homebois will represent Malaysia at the Mid Season Cup x Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next month.
Barnama
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Barnama
MPL MY: Homebois Through To Grand Final, Qualifies For MSC 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 (Bernama) -- The Homebois have qualified for the grand final of the 15th season of the Mobile Legends Bang Bang Malaysian Professional League (MPL MY) musim ke-15 after beating DX Soul 3-2 in the lower bracket final at Juara Stadium here today. The team also automatically qualified for the Mid Season Cup (MSC) in conjunction with the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in July. The Homebois won the first match against DX Soul but allowed their opponents back into contention when they lost the second to even things at 1-1.
