LEC Spring Finals: Roundup

The LEC's remaining four teams clashed heads in best-of five-series this past weekend, in order to determine who would be crowned the champion of the Spring Split. Lots of action, back and forth series and some pentakills later, MAD Lions lifted the Spring Shield after a hard-fought run through the bracket, and will progress to MSI as the LEC's first seed.

Day 1 - Quarter Finals

G2 v MAD G1 (G2 win)

G2: Kennen; Viego; Aurelion Sol; Jinx; Thresh
MAD: Gragas; Lee Sin; Lissandra; Xayah; Rakan

In the laning phase, MAD consistently targeted Caps, but BrokenBlade and Yike pulled G2's top side ahead in exchange to keep the game even. Skirmishes and control of objectives was fairly even for both teams in the mid game, but into the late game the extreme AOE damage output of G2's comp and Hans Sama's scaling on Jinx allowed G2 to take the win.

G2 v MAD G2 (MAD win)

MAD: Kennen; Lee Sin; Gragas; Xayah; Rakan
G2: Akshan; Maokai; Cassiopeia; Jinx; Tahm Kench

A very bloody early game for MAD with Elyoya finding frequent successful ganks. Hans Sama finds three early kills in response to pull G2 back into the game, but is solo killed by Carzzy towards the end of the laning phase, enabling MAD to reestablish their lead with a Rift Herald play. MAD are able to snowball through the mid game and beyond for a fairly clean game.

G2 v MAD G3 (MAD win)

G2: Darius; Bel'Veth; Annie; Zeri; Lulu
MAD: Jayce; Sejuani; Gragas; Jinx; Blitzcrank

Yike takes the early game by storm, pairing mainly with BrokenBlade but roaming around the map and creating a bloody laning phase. MAD group up early into the mid game and are able to claw the game back as a death ball, setting up vision and objectives extremely well, leveraging this pressure to close the game dominantly and and quickly.

G2 v MAD G4 (G2 win)

G2: Kennen; Maokai; Nocturne; Lucian; Nami
MAD: Gragas; Wukong; Ahri; Jinx; Rell

A calmer early game than others in the series, with G2 playing more methodically as a unit and pushing objectives rather than chasing picks. Hans Sama looks great on Lucian despite the nerfs to the lane duo, and Yike is everywhere he needs to be, building a huge lead. Every objective MAD find in the mid-late game is traded back by G2 due to good macro play. MAD are punished for consistent poor solo roams and G2 close cleanly.

G2 v MAD G5 (MAD win)

MAD: Kennen; Wukong; Gragas; Ezreal; Pyke
G2: Jayce; Jarvan IV; Cassiopeia; Jinx; Nautilus

Both teams 5v5 in the bot lane at level one and G2 walk away with first blood, but MAD soon answer back with a gank to BrokenBlade. G2 funnel resources into Hans Sama, as Hylissang is unlocked around the map for MAD into the mid game. In team fights Pyke seems to be an impactful pick. Carzzy is able to find leads and pull ahead of Hans Sama, however. Entering the late game MAD look stronger than G2, with small leads everywhere but mid. MAD force a fight around Baron, ace G2 and close the series out.

Day 2 - Semi Finals

VIT v MAD G1 (MAD win)

VIT: K'Sante; Maokai; Cassiopeia; Lucian; Nami
MAD: Gwen; Vi; Ahri; Xayah; Nautilus

Nisqy is accelerated in the laning phase as MAD play around mid with their dive-heavy comp. MAD ace VIT in a fight around herald, gaining lots of pushing pressure and leads everywhere into the mid-late game. MAD stack dragons, playing well around objectives, and secure the Hextech soul, giving them the pressure needed to overrun VIT. A very quick and clean close out for MAD.

VIT v MAD G2 (VIT win)

VIT: Rumble; Maokai; Tristana; Aphelios; Nautilus
MAD: Jayce; Sejuani; Sylas; Jinx; Renata Glasc

A counter gank top ends in a 1-for-1 trade in the early laning phase, but it is otherwise slow. Into the mid game VIT are the stronger side, with Perkz gaining a large lead. VIT take a great fight around Dragon and Perkz's lead grows further. Elyoya is a standout for MAD in a difficult game, but VIT have big leads everywhere else into the late game with an extremely damage heavy comp. VIT avenge their loss back dominantly and quickly.

VIT v MAD G3 (MAD win)

MAD: K'Sante; Lee Sin; Lissandra; Xayah; Nautilus
VIT: Kennen; Vi; Syndra; Aphelios; Tahm Kench

MAD are playing heavily around the mid lane and Elyoya is able to find Perkz successfully multiple times due to Syndra's low mobility. Into the mid game VIT start to group to counteract MAD's small gold lead, and find some success. Into the late game skirmishes VIT look stronger but MAD are more proactive with vision control and objectives, and ultimately are able to run VIT around the map.

VIT v MAD G4 (MAD win)

VIT: Rumble; Maokai; Tristana; Aphelios; Tahm Kench
MAD: Kennen; Vi; Twisted Fate; Xayah; Thresh

A calmer early game in the laning phase, and initially Perkz and Upset look strong in team fights and VIT seem to be the more cohesive unit. Once Nisqy is unlocked around the map in skirmishes MAD come together and back into the game. A huge Chasy ult around Baron is disastrous for VIT and catapults MAD into the lead. VIT can't withstand the Baron push and are eliminated.

Day 3 - Finals

BDS v MAD G1 (BDS win)

BDS: Sion; Vi; Cassiopeia; Zeri; Lulu
MAD: K'Sante; Wukong; Ahri; Xayah; Blitzcrank

Lots of play around the jungle in the early game from both teams. In a team fight around the second Dragon BDS find four kills for two and steal the Dragon. Crownie gets a double kill on Zeri and starts to snowball into the mid game. MAD proactively catch out BDS in their own jungle and find four kills. BDS find two kills back in a 4v3 top in response. BDS' comp scales a lot better into late game team fights, and after taking Baron BDS siege, with Crownie securing a pentakill to win the game.

BDS v MAD G2 (BDS win)

MAD: Jayce; Vi; Zoe; Ezreal; Annie
BDS: Malphite; Maokai; Cassiopeia; Jinx; Renata Glasc

In the early laning phase MAD are able to outmatch their lane opponents with poke and quickly find a kill in both the bot and top lane. BDS secure the first Dragon but MAD engage on them, with BDS turning and securing four kills for two. Crownie and nuc look very strong into the mid game, and in full team fights BDS' chain CC is able to shut down MAD if they group and fail to leverage their poke. Into the late game Crownie and nuc's DPS melts MAD due to their lack of a proper frontline.

BDS v MAD G3 (MAD win)

MAD: K'Sante; Vi; Ahri; Jinx; Thresh
BDS: Malphite; Wukong; Syndra; Zeri; Lulu

BDS manage to pick up first blood for Crownie with a good gank. Into the mid game Nisqy is unlocked, roaming with Elyoya and finding picks around the map. Into the mid-late game Chasy has an enormous lead, and MAD are able to leverage this to consistently win team fights. As MAD push down the mid lane Carzzy finds a pentakill in return to win the game.

BDS v MAD G4 (MAD win)

BDS: K'Sante; Vi; Cassiopeia; Aphelios; Thresh
MAD: Jayce; Sejuani; Gragas; Xayah; Pyke

MAD outplay BDS entirely in early skirmishes, quickly picking up four kills in the laning phase, with three for Chasy. In the early-mid game MAD already has a substantial lead in nearly every role, with Chasy roaming and killing most BDS members he encounters. MAD secure Baron and their push is too much for BDS due to the gold difference, making for an extremely fast game.

BDS v MAD G5 (MAD win)

BDS: K'Sante; Wukong; Syndra; Jinx; Thresh
MAD: Gwen; Vi; Gragas; Ezreal; Annie

Same game plan as game four from MAD, as they make lots of early roams and picks, with Chasy scaling and unchecked around the map. In the mid game MAD have leads in every role, most of them substantial. MAD secure Baron uncontested due to their gold lead, pushing with the buff. They win the championship with absolute dominance, denying BDS even a single kill the entire game.