Suzu “suzu” Sasaki put on a masterclass to spearhead ZETA DIVISION GC to success in VCT Game Changers Japan Split 2.
JAPAN – ZETA DIVISION GC bested FENNEL Hotelava in a five-map series to be crowned champions of VCT Game Changers Japan Split 2.
The side led by Seina “KOHAL” Migita claimed back-to-back GC Japan titles and JP¥500,000 after moving past Haruka “Curumi” Tajima and co. on Sunset (13-6) and Ascent (13-11), conceding back-and-forth Haven (8-13) and Lotus (13-15), before closing things out on Bind (13-7).
Prior to the grand final, ZETA DIVISION GC, FENNEL Hotelava, and DetonatioN FocusMe GC had already locked in their spots in VCT Game Changers East Asia courtesy of their top three finishes in the GC Japan tournament.
These three teams are set to represent Japan in the East Asia competition, with sights on securing a spot at the VCT Game Changers Global Championship in São Paulo the following month.
ZETA DIVISION GC entered the grand final with a high level of confidence, having convincingly defeated SCARZ GC, Reignite Lily, and DetonatioN FocusMe GC, all with clean 2-0 scores and even a 13-0 win against the latter in the second map.
On the flip side, FENNEL Hotelava had a more challenging route to the finals after being pushed to the lower bracket by Reignite Lily right from the start. This setback certainly raised doubts about their championship aspirations, especially considering their lackluster showing earlier in the year when they missed out on qualifying for the main event of Split 1. However, they managed to navigate their way through the lower bracket by defeating SCARZ GC, DRX Changers, Reignite Lily, and DetonatioN FocusMe GC to secure a spot in the finals.
Suzu “suzu” Sasaki played a pivotal role in ZETA’s winning campaign, boasting an impressive tournament-high VLR rating of 1.51 and accumulating 327 ACS throughout 219 rounds. A highlight of her performance was the game against SCARZ GC on Sunset, where she clinched the map victory with an astounding 35 kills following a double overtime using Raze.
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Cover photo courtesy of VALORANT Esports Japan
