100 Thieves won the battle of the triple-initiator compositions to open their series against Havan Liberty at VCT Masters Three Berlin before trouncing the Brazilian side on their own map pick to win the opening match of Group C.
Both rosters busted out triple-initiator comps on Ascent, strategies that each had debuted during regional Stage Three play. Havan opted for Sova, Skye, and Breach alongside Astra and Jett, while 100T utilized Sova, Skye, and KAY/O with Omen and Jett. Shion produced the first kill of the series with the Breach aftershock onto a trapped Hiko, but after a couple of lengthy tech pauses, 100T began to build a lead thanks to steel’s presence on KAY/O. His suppression knife was a pivotal part of any successful 100T retake, and some key clutches from none other than Hiko put his team ahead 9-3 at halftime.
Steel delivered again to start the second half, winning a one-vs-one in the pistol round to really crank up the pressure on the Brazilian side. 100T found little to no resistance over the next three rounds, taking sites with ease and ending map one quickly 13-3.
With the series shifting back to Icebox, the compositions shifted back to something more traditional; a single initiator for both sides. Havan went for double duelist with Reyna and Jett, and 100T opted for two controllers in Viper and Omen to flank their single duelist in Asuna, who picked his reliable Reyna. His 3k in the opening pistol round gave 100T an early jolt of energy on Havan’s map pick, and his opening kills throughout the first half shut down the Havan attack for most of the first half. 100T switched to attack leading 8-4.
Havan’s own Reyna player, Shion, gave his team a lifeline with a 4k in the second half pistol round, but an unreal 1v2 by a Hiko with only 15 points of health in the first full buy round broke the Brazilian economy and their spirits. 100T claimed five straight rounds on the attack to end the series in a decisive 2-0 manner, taking Havan’s pick of Icebox away 13-6.
The team designed to compete on LAN looked stellar in their offline VALORANT debut, ending the first day of action in Berlin in dominant fashion. The North American roster is now one win away from reaching the playoffs and could do so as early as Sunday against the winner of Gambit and Crazy Raccoon. Havan Liberty must wait until Tuesday just to play an elimination match to survive.
