On paper, 100 Academy are the higher-seeded team for this match, finishing with an 11-7 record compared to EG Academy’s 9-9. Advanced gold metrics actually rate EGA higher, though, with +0.46 GPR and +2.8% GSPD to 100A’s +0.17 GPR and +1.3% GSPD.
But 100A’s addition of Kenvi for the final three weeks makes things a bit more complicated. In those six games, 100A put up +0.38 GPR and +6.8% GSPD, a very small improvement despite the team putting together a 5-1 record to close the season.
There is no clear favourite for this series; it’s going to come down to preparation and mental strength.
EG Academy Key Player and Path to Victory
EGA should have an advantage in the early game, on the strength of AnDa’s very reliable jungling and good early metrics from every lane. AnDa led his team with +554 GXD10 during the regular season, a highly impressive number. Giyuu’s +133 GXD10 was also very commendable. Surprisingly, Kumo actually laned much better than Huni, putting up +266 GXD10 despite being EGA’s weakest performer overall in the last few weeks.
If EGA can continue to get their solo lanes ahead in the early game and take down early towers as they have been (88% First Tower rate in the last 8 games), it will go a long way towards preventing 100A from coming online in the mid game and controlling Barons, which they have been very good at recently (88% First Baron rate for 100A in the last two weeks).
Despite all this discussion of the early game and the jungling, though, Giyuu is going to be EGA’s most important player in this series, in my opinion. He has the highest skill ceiling of any EGA player, and Soligo is a very beatable lane opponent. There have been slip-ups at times in 100A’s coordination between Kenvi and the solo lanes, so if Giyuu and AnDa can find those openings and exploit them, Giyuu could carry the series.
Giyuu will have to clean up some mistakes of his own, though—he has the highest death share of any Academy Mid, at 23.5%, which has held him back.
Snowballing Giyuu, and snowballing in general, could be a smart strategy for EGA. They should consider indexing into the early game with their drafts and playing aggressively to prevent 100A from stabilizing and reaching the late game.
100 Academy Key Player and Path to Victory
Kenvi has the individual skill to contest AnDa in early pathing, putting together +434 GXD10 across six games on a champion pool that featured three games of hard-farming Graves to go with one game each of Kindred, Trundle, and Lee Sin. He clearly likes to carry, but his tank play has been perfectly serviceable, which gives 100A enough options that EGA can’t just invest the entirety of their draft and game planning into pushing Kenvi out of his comfort zone.
In fact, while pushing Kenvi around is probably a wise strategy for EGA, given his inexperience and his preference for carrying, I don’t think it will be at all easy to do. Kenvi has shown a lot of resilience in his first few professional games, which is very exciting for a player so young. Opponents have made clear game plans against him, with GG Academy, in particular, attacking him at level 1 with pressure from Hard and ZionSpartan and doing a good job of setting him behind. But Kenvi showed great poise to still contribute to that game, proving that not only can he carry as well as any young Jungler I’ve seen (watch his Lee Sin game against FLY Academy, if you haven’t), but he can also recognize the game state he’s working within, and prevent himself from tilting or giving up snowballs by chasing a loss.
Another 100A player to keep an eye on is FakeGod. He hasn’t always stood out during the split, only making occasional appearances on Academy Standouts, but he has been reliable and has popped off a few times recently. With Kumo struggling so much lately, especially outside of lane, 100A might look to give FakeGod some strong tools for 1v1 side laning so they can attack EGA’s weak point.
Win Conditions
EG Academy
- Shut down Kenvi
- Try to snowball
100 Academy
- Play with poise
- Activate out of the lanes to support Kenvi’s pressure
Prediction
100A 3-2
It’s tough to pick a winner, but I’ve been impressed with 100A’s growth and their ability to adapt, both to in-game setbacks and out-of-game factors like roster changes. Kelsey Moser runs a well-coached team, and despite EGA’s deeper experience levels I think 100A will outlast them and find an edge.