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Asuna discusses SEN having 100T’s number following VCT Americas Kickoff defeat

BBG News

In the heat of the VCT Americas Kickoff, where 100 Thieves squared off against Sentinels, I, as a dedicated gamer, had the chance to snag some insights from Asuna herself about the matchup.

Peter “Asuna” Mazuryk has been a cornerstone of 100 Thieves VALORANT for quite some time, consistently leading his team through trials and tribulations. However, the beginning of the 2025 season didn’t bring the results he was anticipating. In their opening match of the VCT Americas Kickoff, 100T unfortunately lost to SEN.

Asuna tends to keep his thoughts to himself and appeared somewhat reluctant to engage with journalists following a loss. Nevertheless, after the contest, we managed to have a conversation with him and gathered some insights.

100T Asuna gives insight into why they can’t catch a break against SEN

It was already clear before the game started, as mentioned during the broadcast, and you are the longest-serving player this season with your tenure at 100 Thieves. Given your extensive experience in VALORANT on a single team, how do the pressures and significance of this year’s competition compare to previous ones?

Asuna: “Every year seems to follow the same pattern for us. I believe that 100 Thieves has consistently aimed for championships and international competitions since its inception. Consequently, each year brings about a slight variation, with some years boasting exceptional rosters. However, come the start of every new year, we’ve always strived to give our all and make it to the internationals.

In regards to facing off against Sentinels, it seems they consistently outplay you. You did manage to defeat them once prior to this encounter, but never during the VCT league period. What makes you believe they pose such a challenging adversary for your team?

Asuna mentioned that they faced the team twice in the year 2023, possibly three times the previous year, and once recently. She suggested that their roster wasn’t strong in 2023, and perhaps they didn’t work well together when it mattered. In other words, it was a challenging situation for them.

In the year 2024, we managed to outperform them towards the end of the season, which suggests our team was superior at that time. However, this particular loss left us feeling that we should have emerged victorious. Admittedly, I could say that following every defeat, but this one felt distinct. We were leading 13:4 and had a strong advantage on Bind, a position from where we easily could have clinched the victory and never looked back.

Clearly, we didn’t manage to win the game. I’m unsure if SEN always seems to beat us, though. It’s challenging because they consistently have a strong team every season. It’s not that you’d find a weak Sentinels squad, one you could easily dominate or one that would underperform.

I’d like to discuss some impressive plays you executed today. For instance, the zipline takedown on Split, managing kills even while you were blinded, and the blast pack maneuver on Bind. These moves are quite remarkable, but what I’m curious about is whether you can maintain this level of performance consistently throughout the entire year?

Asuna: “I mean, some of those plays are just pure luck, so no, I’m not exactly relying on that.”

Last year didn’t go smoothly, but you managed to find success in Stage 1 on the road to Masters Shanghai. Given that, was there a particular emphasis during this off-season to kickstart the team’s performance earlier in the new season?

Asuna: “I wouldn’t put it that way. Essentially, the ball has been in motion since last year. It’s not as if there’s a significant shift this year. So, I wouldn’t say we’re aiming to move in a particular direction this year. To be honest, I find it hard to articulate.

Moving forward, it seems we’re continuing the pace set last year, but adjusting to early meta changes presents a challenge. Essentially, anything planned during the off-season becomes less relevant due to these shifts. Many strategies are altered to accommodate a player like Tejo, or counter him in matches against his team.

If you’re playing a specific competition and they bring in a new character who isn’t particularly powerful, but rather explosive. This character can be quite punishing if you’re not on your game. He can be quite effective. However, each year the game changes, and we’re just working to get Zander familiar with the new rules. That’s essentially it.

Sure thing! “Alright, let’s briefly discuss the game itself. You had a decisive victory in Split, so I’d like to hear your thoughts about our map choices for Bind and Pearl. Can you share what you thought went well and where 100 Thieves might have stumbled on those last two maps?

Asuna: “Regarding Bind, our defensive strategies were different from the norm, not entirely unusual but still a bit peculiar. I believe that’s the key point. As for offense, we had to adapt quickly to deal with Tejo, which was not our usual style.

On Pearl, the attack was generally effective, but I found it economical, in my opinion. They performed exceptionally well, however, our defense seemed to be the main issue on that map. Once again, we faced difficulty against Tejo, as they were able to scout out the entire site using drones. Molly, in particular, placed a lot of utility. Then, they had an Ultimate to finish it off. However, we should be capable of devising a strategy to secure a victory.

Here’s what comes next: “Next up, we have NRG competing in an elimination match. I’m curious about the fresh lineup they’ve assembled and how well they might fare against 100 Thieves.

Asuna: “Last year we beat them, so should be the same this year.”

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2025-01-22 07:40

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