Geekay Esports finally look like the team on paper
After a disappointing Stage 1 finish where Geekay Esports failed to qualify for the Champions Clash, the team came out of nowhere to finish second in the EMEA playoffs and secure their spot at the Esports World Cup.
The start of Stage 2 was a bit rocky. Despite pulling Kristian “Kellex” Keller out of retirement to upgrade their roster, their regular season wasn’t inspiring by any means - they finished with a record of 2-3, only beating the bottom two teams, 1234 and Telacy.
A five-map banger against Twisted Minds showed promise for the squad, but 0-3 losses to both Virtus.pro and Al Qadsiah suggested to many that they didn’t have what it took to compete at the top level.
However, come playoffs, Geekay flipped the script. In the first round, another 5-mapper against Twisted Minds would go their way following a reverse sweep with a dominant final two maps. A back-and-forth series with eventual playoff winners Virtus.pro saw Geekay drop to the lower bracket after a 2-3 loss, where they would have to beat Twisted Minds yet again. History ended up repeating itself, as Geekay pulled off a second reverse sweep against Twisted Minds and faced off against VP in the Grand Final.
Seemingly unable to wrap up a series without utilising all of the maps available, a seven-mapper ensued between the two teams. The undefeated Virtus.pro edged out a 4-3 win to barely keep Geekay out of a first-place finish.
While Geekay couldn’t quite measure up to VP in the Sigma mirror, they were no slouches either. Ziyad “ZIYAD” Alkathiri continued to deepen his bag, adding a world-class Sigma to complement his signature D.Va and Mauga. While D.Va isn’t a particularly relevant hero in this meta, whenever Geekay would take it to VP on the Mauga, ZIYAD looked like the more solid tank.
Their DPS were a little subdued for a lot of the Grand Finals, but were still able to help their team take the stage champions the full distance.
Abdulelah “LBBD7” Alfaifi is still a solid, consistent, and deadly hitscan player, and was a key element in several of Geekay's wins. His Sojourn has been his strongest hitscan pick since he started playing the role, and that trend has continued this stage. On Cassidy, while Kevin “Kevster” Persson had his number for most of the Grand Finals, LBDD7 had multiple pop-off moments and really held his own.
AlphaYi, while not traditionally a Symmetra player, really levelled up on the hero. His Particle Barrier usage was great, and while not up to the standard of long-time Symmetra specialists, he has learned to play the hero to a standard that lets him and his team compete at the highest level. His Mei has also been excellent, a niche pick that can be very effective against the rampant Sigma meta.
Kellex's return from retirement levelled this team up. A main support with that much top-level experience is invaluable in a playoff run, and every series Geekay played went the distance. He has also shown he'll adapt rather than lean on what made his name, picking up Mizuki to a genuinely high standard. His value is in control rather than highlight plays, keeping the backline stable and the team out of losing positions.
FiNN has been the steady counterweight. His Kiriko is as reliable as ever, and he found real form on Baptiste whenever Kiriko was banned away from him. He isn't the flex support who wins a map single-handedly, and Geekay haven't needed him to be. On a roster this top-heavy, a support who never becomes the weak link is worth as much as one who pops off.
Geekay open their Midseason Championship campaign against All Gamers on July 29. On paper it's a favourable draw, but All Gamers have a habit of producing compositions nobody has prepared for, and a first-to-two leaves almost no room to recover from a bad opening map.
Beyond the opener, the scrim word has been striking. Both CH0R0NG and Junkbuck have singled out Geekay as the strongest EMEA side they've faced in pre-tournament practice, a notable verdict from two of Korea's most decorated camps. Taking Virtus.pro to seven maps is no mean feat, and the practice results suggest it wasn't a one-off. Any team drawn against Geekay in Paris should give them the respect they've earned.