After nearly two months of competition, Velja, Nemesis, and Crownie—competing under the humorous banner of BAD Lions—emerged victorious in Budapest with a 3-0 score, taking home a €12,000 cash prize in the third season of the T-esports Championship this Sunday. Following this convincing win, the trio is set to reunite in 2025 as they join Los Ratones, the team led by Marc "Caedrel" Lamont, to tackle even greater challenges.

What is the T-esports Championship?

Organized by Good Game Global and sponsored by Deutsche Telekom, the T-esports Championship is a minor European tournament designed to provide semi-professional players in Central Europe with more opportunities to compete and gain esports experience. Initially focused on select South-East European countries, the competition has since broadened its reach to include players from a wider range of Eastern European nations. Notably, the addition of Poland this year has brought fresh energy and increased competition to the event.

In League of Legends, the competition was structured into three phases: the Qualifiers, the Swiss Stage, and the Playoffs. Adopting a format similar to that of the World Championship, the TEC brought together teams from across Central Europe. The 16-team Swiss Stage followed a simple rule—three wins secured qualification, while three losses led to elimination. The top eight teams then progressed to the Playoffs, which, like Worlds, used a single-elimination bracket to determine the champion.

The Glory: A Bright Future Ahead?

Though the tournament featured only three members of Los Ratones, a victory in Budapest could mark the beginning of something significant for Caedrel’s new squad. With three dominant wins and just one nexus dropped throughout the entire tournament, the trio demonstrated their strength, defeating multiple former EMEA Masters attendees and ex-LFL players, including Kio, Djoko, and Axelent, who recently competed under MHSC Esport in LFL Division 2.

Like a well-oiled machine, the trio dominated their opponents to secure the trophy in Budapest. Crownie, in particular, showcased his exceptional skill, ending the first two games with a stellar 15/1/12 scoreline, while Nemesis finished with 9/8/20, and Velja in 7/6/19. Velja, an experienced ERL player, remains a bit of an enigma for many fans, as his track record doesn’t match that of his teammates. However, after this performance, fans have reason to be cautiously optimistic about the squad, as the jungler proved to be a crucial asset for BAD Lions and did more than just hold his ground, even going 6/0/1 at 12 minutes in game 3.