Coming up short in the recently concluded MPL Philippines Season 15, MPL PH team Aurora Gaming are currently preparing for the next season, even announcing the departure of their star roamer Renejay ‘Renejay’ Bacarse as one of their first moves this offseason.
However, coaches Aniel ‘MasterTheBasics’ Jiandani and Dexter ‘Dexstar’ Alaba will have to postpone their pre-season 16 preparations, as the two are bound for Riyadh to take over Aurora Türkiye and help with the team’s MLBB Mid-Season Cup 2025 bid this coming July.
In an exclusive interview with Manila Standard, the two coaches shed light on their unexpected MSC stint.
“Basically, after ng playoffs, hindi nga kami naka-abot ng EWC, so sinabihan kami ng management na kung pwede daw kami mag-coach for Aurora Turkiye.” MasterTheBasics revealed on Tuesday (July 2).
“Tinanong din namin if gusto ba ng Aurora Turkiye or management lang mag-dedecide. Sabi naman nila, gusto rin ng players, gusto ng management and kami rin naman gusto namin na mag-MSC kaya pumayag din agad kami.” he added.
Dexstar was also elated on the opportunity that came.
“Of course, syempre excited. Na-excite talaga kasi kahit hindi kami pinalad sa Pilipinas, may opportunity pa din na dumating, Pero at the same time, challenging din siya lalo na dahil sa language barrier kasi some of them hindi talaga nag-English or kailangan pa ng middle man.” Alaba said.
As a fairly new team that won the MTC Turkiye Championship, the two coaches were tapped to help create a system for the team as they move forward.
“So ang usap namin, no. 1 bigyan natin ng structure kung paano ba ang tamang practice, ano ba yung dapat pinapractice. Plus isasama din namin siyempre kung ano man yung ginagawa namin sa PH na pwedeng i-apply sa kanila,” Jiandani said.
When asked if Jiandani saw something in the Turkish team that is similar with the PH team: “Siguro, yung dedication. Kahit na naiiwan yung region, kahit hindi pa ganoon ka-boom yung ML sa kanila. yung dedication ng players na matuto, yung willingness na matuto, yung willingness na mag-grow pa is nandoon talaga.”
Currently, the whole team alongside MasterTheBasics and Dexstar, are now in Malaysia for bootcamp to prepare before flying to Riyadh for the MSC.
“Sa ngayon kasi, kaka-start lang pa namin mag-practice. I think, malayo pa. I think, hindi pa ito (Aurora Turkiye) ready for MSC.
Pero sa few days namin na practice, I think sobrang bilis mag-adapt ng mga players dito.”
With the MSC starting on July 10, coach MasterTheBasics is looking forward to his team’s performance.
“Galingan lang namin. I think kakayanin namin maka-lason sa MSC.”
While for Dexstar, he called for the support of their fans, even if they’re donning a different brand of Aurora Gaming this time.
“Support niyo pa rin kami, lalo na yung mga fans ng Aurora PH. Hindi man kami nakapag-EWC through PH, hopefully, makakuha kami ng magandang spot sa Riyadh.” he earnestly said.
“And sana wag kami i-hate ng Pilipino,” he jokingly added.