100 Thieves open 2022 LCS Lock In tournament with rout of TSM Academy

The LCS returned to action today with another installment of its annual preseason Lock In tournament. TSM and reigning LCS champions 100 Thieves kicked off the Lock In event, with 100 Thieves claiming victory in 26 minutes. 

Due to travel-based circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, several TSM starters, including two of the organization’s newest offseason signees Keaiduo and Shenyi, were unable to arrive in the United States in time for the beginning of the Lock In tournament. As a result of their absences, TSM elected to field its full Academy-level roster for the entire event as opposed to playing with a splintered lineup of LCS starters and Academy fill-ins. 

TSM’s Academy lineup made its 2022 debut against the defending North American champions, and despite a respectable effort by the young upstarts, the proven stars of 100 Thieves were too much to handle for the Academy squad. 

100 Thieves top laner Ssumday turned in a strong performance on Renekton, a champion he played on 20 separate occasions in 2021. Today, he used his on-stage main to post a respectable scoreline of 2/1/6. His one death was the result of a first-minute five-vs-one invasion from TSM. It would be the only kill that TSM would earn all game. 

100 Thieves would go on to win the game by a kill score of 15 to one, opening their Lock In run with a dominant victory in Group A. They’ll play Golden Guardians, who are also fielding Academy players for the tournament, later tonight. 

As for TSM Academy, a matchup against FlyQuest awaits the team later this evening. The LCS Lock In group stage will last through the next week, with the knockout stage of the tournament beginning on Jan. 22.