Throwdown Esports’ OCE Championship League Play Week 5 Preview & Predictions

After an excellent four weeks of competition, we’ve now reached the final week of OCE Championship League Play, and it’s set to be a cracker. With Chiefs now guaranteed a top two finish, the focus now turns to who will be joining them at the apex of the ladder. Here are my predictions for the final round of League Play in Split 1 of the OCE Championship.

Team Rosters

Chiefs ESC
Drippay
Jake
Torsos

Tainted Minds
CJCJ
Julz
Kamii

Dark Sided
Dumbo
Express
Shadey

Legacy Esports
Cyrix
Delusion
Siki

Love Decks
Addzey
Montyconnor
CJM

JAM Gaming
Bango
Decka
Walcott

Retirement Home
Daze
Ellusive
Kia

Legs are Silly
Plitz
Sammy
ZeN

Current Standings

Series 1: Legs Are Silly vs Love Decks
Prediction: 1-3

The first match of League Play Week 5 pits the bottom two sides against one another, and although Legs Are Silly most likely don’t have a chance of making the top 6, Love Decks certainly have a shot. So the latter will go in knowing the importance of this match, and I fully expect them to take a convincing win to kick off their run at the finals.

Series 2: Tainted Minds vs Love Decks
Prediction: 3-1

If anything, this is where that Love Decks win could really come into play. If the team manage to win against Legs Are Silly, they have nothing to lose against going right at Tainted Minds — a team who’ll be looking at catapulting themselves up the ladder as well. With that said, I’m not expecting any upsets here, and wouldn’t be surprised to see a convincing Tainted Minds win at the end of this series.

Series 3: Tainted Minds vs Legacy Esports
Prediction: 2-3

Easily one of the most important games in League Play for both sides, Tainted Minds and Legacy Esports will each know the significance of securing a win in this series. Both teams have looked good throughout League Play, and it’s extremely hard to split the two. That said, I think Legacy will come into this match with a lot confidence, having only lost to first-placed Chiefs, and I’m expecting them to win after a close contest.

Series 4: Dark Sided vs Legacy Esports
Prediction: 2-3

This weekend of League Play has shaped up so perfectly, and after what I expect to be a wonderful contest between Tainted Minds and Legacy, I’m expecting another close series as the latter take on Dark Sided. Once again, I’m predicting an even contest for the majority of the series, coming down to one win to seperate the two. Given Legacy’s form of late, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them nabbing that key victory.

Series 5: Dark Sided vs Chiefs ESC
Prediction: 2-3

Dark Sided will be going into this game with a grudge to settle after Chiefs knocked them out with relative ease in the Open Series Grand Finals a few months ago. However, both teams have improved since then, and I have an inkling Chiefs will finish League Play undefeated — they’ve just been way too good.

Series 6: Retirement Home vs JAM Gaming
Prediction: 2-3

With both sides even on the ladder, Retirement Home and JAM Gaming will know a series win here will put them in good stead for the finals. With Love Decks breathing down their necks — and with an eye to get a better placing for the Top 6 Qualifiers — I’d expect this series to be as close as the ones prior, and for JAM to just narrowly inch it in the end.

So there are my predictions for the final weekend of League Play! Today’s going to be pivotal for almost all of the sides involved in the OCE Championship, and you can catch all of the action from 11am AEST today via Throwdown Esports’ Twitch channel.