The Boston Uprising had an incredible debut during the first week of Stage 2. They won both of their games on reverse sweeps, making them the first team in Overwatch League history to achieve success with three reverse sweeps in a row. Going forward, the pressure is definitely on for this team on the rise. Newcomer Richard “rCk” Kanerva has certainly played his heart out in his first two games, and with signature players being able to flex onto DPS when needed, this team is coming together in the best way possible.
Boston Uprising Review
Atlanta Reign (4-5)
A game that many expected to swing towards the Reign proved to be a nail biter through and through. Again, the Boston Uprising are never a team to be counted out. At the half, when they were down two maps, the Uprising adjusted their style, banded together, and proved why betting against them is never in style. With a reverse sweep, the Uprising solidified their first win, and set the tone for the rest of their stage.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: rCk
Undoubtedly, rCk played a huge role in the Uprising’s first victory. By flexing onto his signature hero, Sombra, Boston was able to dish out a little bit of what caused them to crumble in the first stage. On top of that, his D.Va play was also exceptional, fitting in wonderfully alongside Cameron “Fusions” Bosworth and his aggressive leadership as main tank. rCk is a valuable member of the team, despite being here for only a week, and his presence might go down as one of the best trades in Overwatch League history.
Toronto Defiant (6-3)
These two teams might having the makings of an old school sports rivalry. With Se-hyeon “Neko” Park starting, a former Boston player, the Defiant put up an amazing fight. However, in true Boston tradition, the series was theirs to take after halftime. In another reverse sweep victory, the Uprising dished out a little just desserts by beating the team that wiped their clock in Stage 1.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Colourhex
Known mostly for his Zarya play when GOATs was still dominant, Kelsey “Colourhex” Birse has been constantly popping off now that he’s playing damage heroes. On top of Widowmaker play that saved a handful of maps for the Uprising, Colourhex has also showed strong plays with Zarya. The amount of work he’s putting into these team plays gives value to Colourhex being one of the best new signings that Boston acquired during the offseason.
Boston Uprising Preview
Hangzhou Spark (3-5)
The Spark, like the Uprising, are a team one can never truly bet against. They had such a strong start in Stage 1, and towards the end, they started to fray. The Spark were also quick to show a strong hold against the formidable Vancouver Titans, a team that ripped through Boston during the Stage 1 Playoffs.
Because of this, it’s hard to say which team will come out on top. With Boston’s current record of map five reverse sweep victories, it’s likely that the pressure could continue to weigh down on this team. The upper edge goes slightly to the Uprising, if only because they’re new roster has seemed to play in their favor. The Spark haven’t done much to change things up, and because of that, they could falter at the hands of this new Boston team.
PREDICTION: Boston wins 3-2
Player to Watch: Kellex
Every player on the Hangzhou Spark is amazing at what they do, but Lucio player Ho-jin “iDK” Park has consistently pulled off plays that clutch map wins. On the other hand, Kristian “Kellex” Keller is a consistent support player in the way he puts all of his effort into keeping his tanks alive. Because of this, the support battle between these two will be something to watch as the series unfolds. Whoever can manage to outperform the other will give their team the upper hand, and possibly the entire series as a whole.
Featured Image Courtesy of the Boston Uprising Twitter.
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