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Zellsis believes 2025 SEN roster has higher ceiling than previous year

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In a conversation post their 2:1 win against 100 Thieves, esports.gg had the chance to chat with Sentinels’ player, Zellsis.

Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro is one of the shining stars in VCT Americas. This exceptional VALORANT player has been a reliable member of Sentinels for quite some time, and his talent played a significant role in helping Sentinels triumph over 100 Thieves during their opening match at the 2025 Kickoff tournament.

Following the conclusion of the game, Xpsp engaged in a conversation with Zellsis, covering topics such as the series, updates on the team lineup, the team’s progression over time, and not forgetting the spirited tweet exchange between him and Boostio from 100T that has since been removed.

Keep your eyes on the Xpsp VALORANT YouTube channel for a video version coming shortly!

Zellsis enjoys friendly trash talk in VALORANT and thinks this iteration of Sentinels can go far

During their off-season from Sentinels, there’s usually a lot of action for them. Besides the major VCT tournaments, they play numerous games. Can you list some advantages and disadvantages of keeping such a busy schedule during this time?

To begin, I’ll just go through a series of points. The advantages are that we’re developing chemistry early on, observing how we work together, and figuring out what roles we might need to adopt if necessary. In our specific case, we’ve had a lot of role swaps, even with our core group, after last year. Consequently, we’ve had to play more than we did before.

Previously, there was a natural compatibility between us; our roles fit seamlessly, and we functioned effectively as a team with the old lineup. With the introduction of two new, younger players, it’s understandable that we required some additional time to adapt and find our rhythm in this new setup. These are the advantages of playing together and adjusting to change.

It seems to me that playing too much leaves little room for relaxation. Particularly given recent updates such as Tejo’s release and other changes in the meta, which came early this season, it appears we only had a couple of weeks or so to prepare.

Absolutely, it seems like we’ve been working consistently for about two weeks without any days off, save for a content day with Riot and Sentinels. Even during our content day with Sentinels, we continued to scrimmage, practice, and carry out all our usual activities.

To put it simply, we’ve been pushing ourselves quite a bit, and that might have some downsides. For instance, constant play could result in stress, fatigue, or even burnout. However, I don’t want to jump to conclusions just yet, as I know people might find this talk of burnout premature. So, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

In their most recent encounter against 100 Thieves, Sentinels emerged victorious. Interestingly, in every instance of SEN versus 100T during VCT Americas, including today’s matchup, it has been Sentinels who take the win. Can you pinpoint what gives Sentinels an advantage over 100 Thieves?

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but reflect: It’s no longer about rivalry, is it? Even when they outshine us, the essence of our bond remains unchanged. The time I recall most vividly is when they bested us, yet we still made it to Champs, only for them to eventually falter. Truly, the competition is always thrilling. It’s always a pleasure to face off against them.

I believe the main reason is that they’ve consistently had talented trash-talkers on their team, and we’ve had our share too. Honestly, I get really into it. It’s exciting, it’s competitive. It’s a form of competitive banter. So, I just find the rivalry fascinating because it adds excitement. It generates interesting narratives. It provides topics for fans to discuss or look forward to.

Regarding the heated exchange, it seemed like your outburst towards Bang following a key play during Pearl was due to the fact that 100T used to be your team. I noticed Boostio’s tweet depicting someone in your jersey making questionable gestures. Before we started our discussion, I observed you responding to him with a similar gesture. Could you share your thoughts on that exchange?

It’s simply recognizing that we are rivals. There’s a certain enjoyment in friendly banter, right? Eventually, if someone feels upset or offended, I’m confident they’ll address it. Backstage, we even discussed what would happen if one of us won. We asked what their next move would be.

Approached him, I said something like “hey, I noticed your tweet, but hold on buddy. I won’t respond until after this match is over.” Wishing for a win. By the way, that tweet was mine. Feel free to tell me when you want me to share my latest jersey with your girlfriend. She used to wear my old one.

My tweet was about his suggestion, which was essentially him wanting to tease me if they won the game. It’s closely connected, don’t you think? Yes, I agree. It’s similar to banter or friendly rivalry among friends. This kind of playful trash-talk helps to maintain a lively atmosphere and keeps fans engaged. I believe it’s beneficial.

Indeed, let’s proceed with the match now. Admittedly, there were some issues on Split in the previous round, as 100T managed to win eleven consecutive rounds to secure the map victory. Can you share some insights about the team meeting after the first map loss and what words of encouragement or strategies were discussed before moving on to the next map?

Zellsis: “Initially, it seemed like our team was still in the initial stage of getting used to this roster during our first map. Although we did play together off-season, competing at VCT is an entirely different experience. Therefore, we had to prepare as much as possible. I believe that on that first map, they managed to win a few rounds where they shouldn’t have, which could have given us a slight advantage.

When consecutively winning rounds in VALORANT, maintain your confidence, but it becomes challenging when your team is struggling to recover. It’s tough to regain momentum. I believe they performed exceptionally well. We are experimenting with a fresh strategy too, and so are they, which makes their play all the more impressive.

As a gamer, I’m admitting it – Cryo, Asuna, and eeiu were on fire! Their team’s current form is impressive, and they gave us quite the beating. It was humbling, but it was also an invaluable learning experience. The lesson here is that we need to go up against this team as often as possible if given the chance. Every match will help us grow and improve our skills.

In scrimmages, you can acquire limited knowledge since you’re not frequently pushed beyond your comfort zone. It feels more like going through the motions rather than being truly tested. In America particularly, opportunities to scrim against top-tier teams may be less frequent than people assume. Consequently, when it comes to actual matches, you often encounter situations or mental hurdles that are new and require quick adaptation.

As you mentioned, I was urging Zekken and Bang to cheer loudly and stand tall, since clearly I am doing so myself. However, I want them to join in as well. I want them to understand that it’s appropriate to do it following a round victory, getting a 2K, or accomplishing something impressive.

There’s always the option to rise, but they often seem reluctant. Instead, they’d rather aim for a perfect strike or an Ace, my friend. I usually just shrug it off. However, they managed it on Pearl, standing tall and conversing freely. So, it was quite impressive.

Regarding Pearl and the map before it, Bind was the final match, and both teams ended up with the same scoreline. It wasn’t a one-sided victory like Split, but your team managed to complete the task. There was definitely some tension as 100T strung together rounds. Given that johnqt has an entire year of experience under his belt now, how has his calling evolved to help your team secure crucial plays and ultimately close out games?

Zellsis: “I’d like to share some background. Last year, I spoke more frequently. Since we were both in the pack and he was on Sentinel, he would provide his early freeze-time calls if I wasn’t suggesting anything. After all, I can see everything, don’t I?

In a group, you get a broader perspective. You can discern what adjustments are required in your strategies. You can tell if aggressive moves are effective or if you’re being outmaneuvered. You can clearly see these things. Therefore, I believe moving him to the group this year makes his role more fitting for a mid-round pick. He’s exceptionally skilled at calling VALORANT games. He has a deep understanding of the game, including positioning around Ultimates, and he grasps all of that.

When he proposed the change to a new approach, we readily agreed, “Go for it!” We have faith in you. We will give it a try. We’ll put it to the test. And to our delight, he has truly shone. His talent is exceptional. He’s performing exceptionally well, showing increased vigor, and overall improvement in every aspect.

As a gamer, I’ve got to say, this game was fantastic! After wrapping up this match, it’s clear we need a huddle to discuss a few points. I won’t spill the beans, but we’ll definitely be talking strategy. Heck, he played exceptionally well, no doubt about that!

To wrap up, welcome to the new year and the fresh additions to our team! Last year was a successful one, as we clinched Kickoff and took home the first Masters title. We certainly feel the absence of TenZ and Sacy in unique ways. So, what’s the potential peak performance with N4RRATE and bang now being part of the roster?

Zellsis: “It’s tough to express this as I hold great affection for TenZ and Sacy, with whom I shared many experiences. Together, we reached heights in my career that I had never thought possible. However, I believe that the potential of our current team is even greater if we can align everything effectively.

In competitive games, I’ve noticed that exceptional performance during scrimmages often indicates a player’s peak potential. However, translating this skill to actual matches can be challenging due to the differences between scrim and match mentality. There’s definitely more stress and tension in matches compared to scrims.

However, I believe the potential of our team is far greater than you might imagine. With diligence and determination, I firmly believe that we could establish a lasting, championship-winning legacy – a dynasty, if you will. Last year’s roster held great promise, and we came incredibly close to achieving this goal. Unfortunately, we fell short of qualifying for Shanghai.

We were on the brink of reaching Shanghai in the series or map, but unfortunately, we ended up placing fourth at Champs, losing to EDG and Team Heretics who made it to the finals. We came close, but we’re still striving for a dynasty-like run with this current team, and I believe we can definitely achieve it.

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2025-01-19 22:41

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