Hai leads FlyQuest to sweep NA LCS Week 1 and upset predictions
The team full of ex-LCS players proves they’re still in it to win.
Be sure to check out our original article on Smite Steal’s website.
FlyQuest, the team filled with ex-players from Cloud 9, NRG, and Team Liquid, exceeded all expectations for week 1 of the NA LCS and on top of that, they looked like one of the best teams out there.
A lot of previews for the start of the LCS placed FlyQuest at the bottom of the LCS ladder, and it turned out that those preview rankings could not have been more wrong (well, except for our predictions- we figured FlyQuest would turn some heads). Not only did FlyQuest 2–0 sweep both of their opponents from last weekend, they also looked stronger and more in sync than almost any other team that played, except for maybe Cloud 9.
So why was FlyQuest predicted to perform so poorly this split? Well, because their mid-laner and primary shot-caller, Hai ‘Hai’ Lam, was expected to be past his prime. He had been Cloud 9’s mid laner for a few seasons in a row, but stepped down due to issues he was facing with his own performance and issues with team synergy. Not only Hai, but Lemonnation and Balls are former Cloud 9 talent that had stepped down for similar reasons. Later, they joined Cloud 9’s Challenger team, and did so well in the Challenger circuit that they made it back into the LCS, and the team was dubbed FlyQuest.
Despite Hai being predicted to be a bit rusty and out-of-touch with modern talent in the LCS, he looked absolutely fantastic. He led his team to victory in both matches they played, and he performed better than he ever has before in the LCS. I, for one, was a huge fan of Cloud 9 in the days of Hai, and I was really pulling for Hai to shock and amaze us all for Week 1. I’m very happy that he did. Balls, Lemmonation, Altec, and Moon all looked very good as well.
With veteran-level experience and a newfound edge, Hai and his FlyQuest team push forward into Week 2 with their first match against CLG. Even though I also like CLG quite a bit, I’d be a bit scared if I were them.
