Blacklist Intl, Elevate lose to Nongshim RedForce in playoffs

Blacklist International and Elevate both suffered disappointing losses against South Korea's Nongshim RedForce in the Honor of Kings Invitational Season 3 playoffs on Friday at SM North EDSA.

Despite holding a commanding lead, Blacklist International lost four consecutive games and was eliminated from contention due to the single-elimination format, while Elevate led Game 7 but ultimately fell short.

The Philippines will not have a representative in the finals as Nongshim RedForce advanced to face Malaysia's Nova Esports on Saturday.

Before their losses, both Filipino teams had impressive records with Blacklist International winning two matches during the group stage and Elevate securing a 4-2 win against Impunity of Myanmar.

Blacklist International's Chammy Paul 'Chammy1' Nazarrea took MVP honors in Game 3 for his performance with Dharma, but Nongshim RedForce rallied to secure their place in the finals.

Though they didn't reach the top two, Blacklist International is still assured of a 3rd-4th finish alongside a $25,000 prize.