AUTHOR: CHRIS "BEARLIGHT" LEE / @BEARLIGHTCASTS
Stay Plugged In's Turbo Tuesday has hit the big 3-0, as our Rocket League recruits push towards a $100 prize and look for recognition amongst colleges. Recruiters look for a combination of performance, communication, sportsmanship, leadership & support among many other qualities both in and out of the game. We have found that scholarships aren't only offered to the best players. Many times they are offered to students who best connect to members of the program, and meet the academic requirements of the school. These weekly tournaments are open to the community in order to allow players of the Stay Plugged In network to connect and find lasting teammates and friends, as well as explore colleges they may be intrigued by. This week our teams faced off in the typical double-elimination style bracket, and we got to witness two former champions in the Finals. Check out who came out on top in this week's breakdown.
UPPER FINAL - PAD PLAYERS 3, TOP SLOTTAS 1
Having all players that have peaked or are consistently placed in the highest rank of competitive 3v3 Rocket League, Supersonic Legend, one would imagine that these two teams have run into each other at some point before meeting for the very first time in Turbo Tuesday. Even still, our staff and on-looking colleges haven't gotten to witness the two together in battle. Top Slottas have won three Turbo Tuesdays (Weeks 24, 26, & 27) over Pad Player's one. However, Pad Players have won most recently, and according to recency bias, they had a better shot at getting the best of Top Slottas. The theory would hold up in the Upper Final, where Pad Players maintained just a +1 goal differential yet won the series (3-1).
LOWER FINAL - TOP SLOTTAS 3, PHANTOM ESPORTS 0
Phantom Esports would make their second straight appearance in the Lower Finals this week, but like the previous week, they would come up just short. Although it was a (3-0) sweep, they kept each game close, finishing the series with just a -4 goal differential. This was a big improvement from their Upper Semifinal match up against the same squad. Quick efficient adjustments and such a balanced attack (2 goals each from JAYSLOWGUN, JERRIEHOPS, and PHANTOMIZER) have sparked some interest from our analysts as a potential breakthrough team in the coming weeks. Their night would come to an end here though, advancing Top Slottas to the Grand Finals for a rematch with Pad Players.
GRAND FINAL - TOP SLOTTAS 4, PAD PLAYERS 2
As previously mentioned, Top Slottas won in Weeks 26 & 27, but what we didn't mention was that it was with a different third joining RESONAL and TIDE each time. In Week 26 it was TEEKAY, and then the following week they won with PRSTN. The reason I bring this up is because changing a roster in Rocket League means that one-third of the roster has been adjusted. I know, simple math, but just think about how much everything can change when all players are so heavily relied upon. Top Slottas took some time to find their stride, but once their new third CRAVE started heating up, they were unstoppable. Top Slottas would drop the first game played to drop to (0-2) in the series, but a 4-0 win in Game 3 would spark four straight wins for the Slottas, and give the team their fourth Championship title.
WINNERS & FINAL THOUGHTS
Congratulations to Team Slottas for their Turbo Tuesday title! Not only did CRAVE seamlessly fill into the role, he thrived in it. He showed true playmaker abilities with both a 1.20 goals per game and a 1.20 assist per game average, and was a burden to defenses taking more than 4 shots per game as well. Seeing as he currently resides on NA high-end bubble team Empty Space with RESONAL, no surprise they worked well together. CRAVE is your Week 30 MVP!
For details and registration for all upcoming Stay Plugged In events including LANs and weekly tournaments, you can visit our Events page on this site. To keep up with all of the results, news, and updates regarding the Stay Plugged In brand, visit the News page.