The fourth event of the Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 season has ended. Over one hundred teams battled it out in the Open tournament while the 16 Pro League teams faced off for a chance to become Anaheim champions and a share of the $325,000 prize pool. Let’s take a look at what was a thrilling weekend of world-class action.
Photo courtesy of Eric Ananmalay
100 Thieves – Back to Back
After taking home the championship at CWL London, 100 Thieves had the chance to become the first back-to-back winners this season. The thieves topped their pool, taking victory in all three of their pool play matches, conceding just one map to qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament.
The team took down Elevate in round one, this set up a clash with OpTic Gaming in the quarter finals of the winner’s bracket.
A 3-1 win saw them advance to the winner’s final, where they would do battle with GenG for the second time. A 3-0 sweep booked their place in the Grand Finals, where they would play GenG for a third and final time.GenG put up a very strong fight but it was 100T that took the win in the finals; crowning them the first back-to-back winners of the Black Ops 4 season. The team looked superior to any other and it will take a lot to take down this powerhouse season.
In-Game leader Austin “Slasher” Liddicoat picked up the MVP award after a sublime performance in the Grand Finals, leading the field with a 1.2 Hardpoint K/D ratio, a 1.23 Search & Destroy K/D ratio and a 1.13 K/D ratio in Control.
The boys from @100Thieves needed a big play to help secure victory at #CWLAnaheim 🥇@Priestahh delivers once again with a great 4 piece - they then lock down the hill and become back to back @CODWorldLeague champions! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/6Q8DkOZiLL
— Gfinity Esports (@Gfinity)
June 17, 2019
GenG – More to Come?
Little by little, GenG have slowly improved and at Anaheim, these improvements have come to fruition. Coach JoeyNubzy made some audacious calls, playing OpTic on some of their best maps but GenG managed to overcome the challenge to make it to their first grand finals of the year.
Chance “Maux” Moncivaez displayed his S&D prowess in the latter stages of the tournament, scoring multiple clutches to keep his team alive against OpTic Gaming in the losers bracket finals.
This team has a real opportunity to compete with 100T and with CWL Miami right around the corner, could GenG be the team to take the crown away from the thieves?
Fast forward in the series between @GenG and @OpTicGaming...The #Greenwall looked like they may pull away, but another clutch goes against them 😞This time it's @Maux with the 1v3 - they eventually go on to win the series! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/RulkWTblBm
— Gfinity Esports (@Gfinity)
June 17, 2019
Heretics Europe’s Best Placing Team Again
From a European perspective, all eyes were on Team Reciprocity, who were heading into the tournament, they were well practiced and intent on making a run through the knockout phase of the tournament.
Falling victim to a three-way tiebreaker, the REC Pack started the knockout stage in the loser’s bracket. A quick dispatch of a struggling Team Envy roster led to a thrilling five-game series against the Spanish side.
These consistent performances by Heretics are impressive considering how competitive Black Ops 4 is this season. But for Reciprocity, they will be looking to build on their Anaheim performance and show us a bit more of what they’re capable of at CWL Miami.
Two Back to Back Champions
100 Thieves were not the only back to back champions at CWL Anaheim. The CWL London champions Mindfreak, once again made a crusade through the losers bracket in the Mountain Dew Amp Game Fuel Open Bracket. Their run led them to the final against Mazer Gaming, where they defeated them 3-1 to reset the bracket and followed it up with a second 3-1 win.
Rostermania is Coming
The fourth and final transfer period of the season opened after the tournament had finished and there have already been changes. Maurice “Fero” Henriquez has become a restricted free agent after Team Envy failed to win a map throughout the entire weekend.
Luminosity Gaming are also rumoured to be making changes to the roster. Pierce “Gunless” Hillman is available for trade and is rumoured to join Envy while Cuyler “Huke” Garland is rumoured to jump ship and join Splyce in place of Nick “Nolson” Nolson.
Photo courtesy of Eric Ananmalay
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Written ByJon Nicholson@MrJonno_95
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