The end of the road has come for another team in the 2023 LEC Winter Split, with Team BDS dropping out of playoff contention following a 2-1 series loss to Astralis today.
Even though they were able to win the first game of the series, BDS couldn’t replicate that success for the following two matches. Astralis also played really well in games two and three, with great drafts and even better coordination on the Summoner’s Rift.
For example, BDS top laner Adam Maanane looked great on his classic Olaf pick, but in game three, he was ganked multiple times and set back as his opposing laner reaped the rewards. He ended the third and final game with four deaths, two assists, and no kills.
Even though this might seem like a disappointing end to the split, BDS fans can be happy with the progress that this roster has made. During their LEC debut last year, the organization finished as a bottom-two team in back-to-back splits, and never looked nearly as cohesive and confident as they do now.
There are still some coordination issues that need addressing, but with two more splits coming up, they have plenty of time to gather themselves and return stronger. Their rookie jungler Théo “Sheo” Borile might need a bit more experience on the big stage, for example, while Ilias “nuc” Bizriken is still ramping up, since he has only been an LEC player for a year.
Astralis, on the other hand, has completely turned their fortunes around with this split. Like BDS, this organization was also at the bottom of the regular season standings since 2021, but with recent roster moves, they have looked more motivated and ready to play their own style of League. Lee “JeongHoon” Jeong-hoon has blossomed into a rising star in the LEC, while Finn Wiestål has bounced back from a handful of unfortunate splits on losing teams.
