DK ShowMaker | "At crisis in the 5th set, Haram said to just trust him"
Q: How do you feel after the match?
Zefa: First of all, since this was the final match to secure the 4th seed, there was no turning back. I really wanted to secure the win today and I’m so happy we won in such a great way. It feels even better to win against a team we hadn’t beaten in a while.
ShowMaker: If we had lost today, we would have had to fight for the 4th seed tomorrow right. I really wanted to win today, and I’m so relieved and happy we did. Now as we are heading to Worlds, I’ll do my best there as well.
Q: DK finally won against T1.
ShowMaker: For the last three years, we hadn’t won against that team, and even though I tried not to focus on that, it was always in the back of my mind. I kept thinking when do we end this losing streak against them? Breaking that streak on such an important stage feels great. Moving forward, I want to focus on being a player who doesn't get caught up in past records.
Q: Regarding this chance to secure a Worlds ticket, what areas of the team did you trust in?
Zefa: Regarding the team dynamics, especially with veterans and rookies. The veterans have contributed not only in gameplay but also in attitude and behavior.
As for the rookies, like in the case of Lucid, I saw a lot of potential from the beginning of the season and also delivered during the season too. If we polish Lucid up about a year or so and keep accruing experience till Summer season, I believed that we could be very competitive.
Q: What kind of discussions did the team share after the draft in the 5th set?
Zefa: I wasn’t particularly conscious of my facial expression but when I’m deeply focused, I tend to furrow my brow unintentionally. I think I did that because I was concentrating hard to avoid any mistakes in the drafting phase and was communicating with the players at the end.
Q: How did the team come about with the draft in the last set?
Zefa: I felt that it was challenging to prepare from the red side for this series. We decided to leave Rumble open, share the power picks with the opponent. After losing on the red side, we thought from the opponent’s perspective. We permanently banned 1st and 2nd bans like Azir then adjusted 2nd and 3rd bans accordingly to make it as difficult as possible for them to respond. But they did respond to it. We already discussed about such cases so continued good 4th and 5th bans.
Q: How did you manage the morale of the team in the 5th set?
ShowMaker: After picking LeBlanc, I was aware that our opponent might counter it with Magic resist items, Zyra, Corki or K'Sante which are hard for LeBlanc. But Haram (Aiming) told me to trust him, saying he could carry if they only built magic resistance items. That allowed me to play with a lighter weight on my shoulders. There were other pick options during draft phase, but choosing LeBlanc turned out well.
Q: You have succeed on a Worlds spot with the call up of Moham.
Zefa: Reflecting on the decision to call up certain players during my time as a coach, I always strive to find ways to improve results.
I still think it was the inevitable or an appropriate choice at the time of the call up, even if the outcome hasn’t turned out amazingly. Although we finished the regular season in 3rd place which was an improvement from Spring, we weren't able to win against strong teams in the playoffs. Not only focusing on in-game plays but looking at the bigger picture, I stand by that decision. As we now have a bit of time, we will assess it again.
Q: What kind of performance does ShowMaker want to show at Worlds?
ShowMaker: Last year, we were eliminated in the first round (after Swiss stage). This time we’re determined to go further this year. Having played Swiss stage format, the draws are exciting as you face stronger teams as you win more, unlike the group stage format where you might be mixed with weaker teams. I think it adds more intensity and competitiveness. I hope to enjoy on-stage experience and deliver some eye-opening games to our fans.
Q: DK broke the regular season 3rd seed curse for the first tine in LCK history? (*Since LCK acquired 4 Worlds Seeds (2021-)
ShowMaker: I didn’t realize there was a curse to break, but I’m glad we were the ones to break it.
Q: Was Akshan in the 5th set an option that you prepared seriously?
ShowMaker: I don’t know how to play Akshan (laughed), so I considered other AD picks.
Q: Recently you looked as if you were enjoying the games?
ShowMaker: I trust my teammates because they’re so skilled, and I focused on doing my part and helping the team. This mindset helped me to play comfortably.
Q: You showed a strong form in the qualifiers.
ShowMaker: I don’t have any special tricks, but I approach these matches with the same routine. Since I’ve unconsciously built up good experience in qualifying rounds over the years, I am more confident and tend to play more boldly in these situations.
Q: Any team or player you would like to meet at Worlds?
ShowMaker: Personally, I used to be excited about meeting specific opponents at Worlds, but now I see it as a battle with myself. If I perform well, I believe we can win; if not, it’ll be tough. I’m more focused on bring up my performance than on facing certain players.
Zefa: For me, I was aware that all qualifying teams have been finalised except 3rd and 4th seed. I haven’t been paying attention to which specific teams qualified because I was so focused on our upcoming match. I don’t have any particular team I want to face - we’ll prepare to face anyone, and we’ll be ready for whoever comes next.
Q: What is your goal at this Worlds?
ShowMaker: Firstly, I played at Worlds in Germany five yeras ago, and I think I performed well back then. I want to bring back that form and perform even better this time in Europe. My main goal is to improve my performance, and of course, winning would be great, but I’m focused on raising my game first.
Zefa: I know it is a very typical thing to say but I want to win it of course. I think every team at Worlds is strong, so we’ll have to see how well we adapt to the new patches. Our immediate goal is to take it one match at a time.
Q: How good is DK in improvement during the tournament or meta analysis
Zefa: I do not think we match well currently (with the meta), but we need to make sure we use the remaining time to practice hard and iron out any issues with our calls and plays.
Q: Please wrap up as we end the interview.
ShowMaker: To our fans, I know we disappointed you after being eliminated in the playoffs, but I'm relieved that we won in the qualifiers. I’m grateful for your unending support. I’ll work hard to perform well at Worlds, and we’ll aim to reach the highest stage possible.
Zefa: I want to thank DPlus Kia fans who are always supporting us. We didn't play well in the playoffs but we took out the 3rd seed ticket after defeating T1. Although I did say that we did not match well, we will practice on reacting to opposing teams to produce the best possible result. Thank you so much for your support.
Source: , https://youtu.be/oSwTfc-uSuU?si=Tq-p5t0h_kWmMc3i
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