KSV Esports mark the organization’s LCK debut with a win over KING-ZONE DragonX

KSV Esports started the League of Legends Champions Korea 2018 season with a solid victory over KING-ZONE DragonX.

Formerly the teams owned by Samsung and Longzhu respectively, KSV and KING-ZONE’s LCK opening series was a rematch of the 2017 World Championship quarterfinals. And like at the World Championship, KSV’s roster outshone their KING-ZONE equivalent—sort of.

Related: Longzhu’s Khan disciplined for bad behavior in solo queue

Kim “Khan” Dong-ha, KING-ZONE’s primary top laner was unable to play for the entire series as a punishment for an unsavory comment he made during a solo-queue match in November. In Khan’s stead was KING-ZONE substitute top laner, Kim “Rascal” Kwang-hee. Khan’s inability to play proved to be a fatal blow for KING-ZONE in their first match of the season.

Although Rascal got a powerful pick in Vladimir, he was unable to fully utilize the champion’s early laning prowess, and thus became useless as the game progressed. But while he was a problem, Rascal wasn’t KING-ZONE’s only problem. KING-ZONE jungler Han “Peanut” Wang-ho constantly found himself behind his KSV counterpart Kang “Ambition” Chan-yong throughout the two game series. Peanut, who accrued substantial creep score deficits, roamed the map fearful of Ambition’s Rengar jumping on him at any moment.

KSV’s early leads allowed their scaling compositions to hit their power spikes early enough to contest major objectives like the Baron. No matter how good of a setup KING-ZONE had over an objective, the team couldn’t take KSV in a straight teamfight.

KSV look to end week one undefeated on Jan. 18, when the team faces off against Jin Air Green Wings.