Sentinels has had quite the rocky journey so far at the VCT Americas League 2023. After their recent loss against Leviatán, news that rocked the Valorant e-sports community broke that the Sentinels have decided to fire Syyko. With the sudden change in coaching and management, what will this mean for this dominant VALORANT team? Why did the Sentinels fire Syyko in the middle of the VCT Americas League, and are there any updates on TenZ and his injury? Keep reading to find out more.
Sentinels are having a tough time at the VCT Americas League 2023
The performances we’ve been seeing from Sentinels so far has been a bit concerning. Although the VCT Americas League this 2023 only started, things aren’t looking up that much for one of the most dominant teams in VALORANT.
THE CLUTCH FROM @zekkenVAL TO WIN THE MAP #VCTAmericas pic.twitter.com/NfqYZcqSrw
— VALORANT Esports NA (@valesports_na) April 16, 2023
They did manage to come out as the winner when facing off against 100 Thieves. However, the team failed to keep the momentum going when they faced NRG and most recently, Leviatán.
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Despite having an impressive roster including TenZ and head coach Syyko, the Sentinels have been falling pretty short in terms of performance recently. If they want to secure a slot and advance to the playoffs, then they need to get themselves out of the bottom four.
- Out of the ten teams participating at the VCT Americas League this 2023, only the top six will move on to the Playoffs.
- Following their second loss at the hands of Leviatán, the Sentinels are currently ranked eighth. This is quite alarming considering how the Sentinels have been one of the top VALORANT teams in the past years.
After taking down Sentinels, @kiNggfps shares his thoughts on the match! #VCTAmericas pic.twitter.com/XMkyGG1L3k
— VALORANT Esports NA (@valesports_na) April 16, 2023
- They are also tied with Evil Geniuses. So far, both teams have 1 win and 2 losses. They will need to bounce back soon if they still want a shot at Playoffs later this year.
- They may be having trouble finding the perfect rhythm and harmony. One of their star players, SicK, has been arrested and this resulted in him being suspended from playing for the team.
It went the distance but @LeviatanGG clean it up on Pearl and win the series 2-1! #VCTAmericas
Map 1 – Split: LEV 14-12
Map 2 – Ascent: SEN 11-13
Map 2 – Pearl: LEV 13-4 pic.twitter.com/TheQidR4vf— VALORANT Esports NA (@valesports_na) April 16, 2023
- TenZ is also currently dealing with an injury, a factor that may be affecting his gameplay. Unfortunately for the team, they have to keep TenZ as an active player. Their latest recruit, Marved, is still in the process of getting his work visa.
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Did Sentinels fire Syyko or did he leave?
One of the things that took the VALORANT esports community by surprise was Syyko leaving the team. The announcement came the same day as Leviatán defeated Sentinels. In a tweet, CEO Rob Moore revealed that they made the “difficult decision” of parting ways with Syyko.
We have come to the difficult decision to part ways with Don @SyykoNT Muir. Adam @itskaplan Kaplan will be stepping in as head coach effective immediately.
— Rob Moore (@robmooreEsports) April 17, 2023
Although this is a normal way to announce someone getting cut from the team, there are also speculations surrounding this decision. While some fans speculate that this was a mutual decision, it may be otherwise. In other words, Sentinels possibly fired Syyko.
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Of course, the announcement garnered mixed reactions from the community. Most fans pointed out that it’s an odd decision to make all of a sudden.
- Nothing hinted at or indicated that this is what’s going to happen to Syyko.
- Furthermore, his tweet following the team’s disappointing loss against Leviatán said that there are still “lots of work to be done”.
1-2 vs LEV. GGs to them, we should have closed out Split for the 2-0 but we let it slip away.
Proud of the progress this week, but still lots of work to be done.
— M80 Syyko (@SyykoNT) April 16, 2023
- Syyko is yet to release his own statement. As of writing, he still has his announcement tweet for joining Sentinels pinned to his profile. His display name also reads ‘SEN Syyko’, so was he fired out of the blue?
The best thing we can do now is wait for Syyko to release his own statement regarding the matter. However, it’s undeniably strange for Sentinels to decide to move forward without Syyko at the helm. Nonetheless, Adam Kaplan, his replacement, may be the key to getting the team out of its rut.
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How is TenZ doing with his injury?
Another factor that possibly affected Sentinels’ performance in their recent matches at the VCT Americas League 2023 is TenZ suffering from a wrist injury. Known as one of the best players in VALORANT, the team is walking on eggshells if their Duelist is not in top shape to compete.
https://twitter.com/WxnterHeartGirl/status/1647891859514032129?s=20
TenZ has been suffering from an injury (joint infection) in his wrist but still, he managed to persevere and do his best at the VCT Americas League 2023. He played extraordinarily during their match against Leviatán even if the previous update we received was an image of his index finger looking extremely swollen.
As of writing, there are no recent updates on how TenZ is doing so far. From the looks of it, the infection is still there. However, he is definitely a real one for still deciding to play for his team despite having to juggle both his injury and Kyedae’s recent cancer diagnosis.
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What’s in store for Sentinels at the VCT Americas League 2023?
Right now, the team is on a tightrope as they should do everything they can in order to bounce back. However, this will only be possible with a complete team and a head coach who can bring them to victory.
@itskaplan has an amazing brain for the game, ya'll are in great hands
— Rawkus (@Rawkus) April 17, 2023
We are hopeful that Sentinels will have what it takes to recover from this rut. Besides, it’s still early to tell whether they make the Playoffs or not. For now, they should focus on making every game count as each match against formidable teams is a deciding factor in their fate.
The Regular Season ends on May 20, 2023. Playoffs are scheduled to begin on May 23, and the top 3 teams in this bracket will advance to VCT Masters and Champions.
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What do you think will happen to the Sentinels after everything they’re dealing with at the VCT Americas League 2023? Will Syyko’s departure have significant effects on the team? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Until then, stay with us here at Spiel Times for more content.
