The 2026 Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) Pacific Kickoff opened in Seoul, South Korea, this week, and five Filipino players took to the stage with a variety of outcomes, backed by noteworthy statistical trends from the early matches.
Team Secret, competing with a blended roster that includes Filipino players Jessie “JessieVash” Cuyco and Kelly “kellyS” Sedillo, faced a tough start. Against South Korea’s Nongshim RedForce, Secret lost 0–2, dropping Haven 13–5 and Split 13–8. Nongshim’s standout performer, Lee ‘Dambi’ Hyuk-kyu, posted a 1.56 match rating and 41 kills across the series, showcasing the mechanical edge that helped RedForce control both maps early.
Statistically, Nongshim’s aggressive plays and strong early leads were defining factors. They opened Haven with a commanding 9–3 first-half advantage, converting crucial bonus rounds to finish the map decisively, and then leveraged map momentum on Split to secure the sweep.
Global Esports had a brighter opening, dismantling South Korea’s VARRELl with identical 13–7 scores on both maps. That series marked the competitive debut of Xavier “xavi8k” Juan from De La Salle University, who helped maintain map control with consistent pressure and successful executes.
However, Global Esports’ momentum stalled in their next match against Paper Rex. Stat lines from the deciding Bind and Breeze show a balanced contest, but it was Paper Rex’s consistency that carried them through. On Breeze, JINGGG led the way with 23 kills and a 268 ACS, and team-focused utility usage helped tilt critical rounds in their favor.
Double Scoping the Action
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1. Nongshim RedForce’s early aggression pays dividends
Their dominant first-half leads and high-impact fragging, particularly from duelists like Dambi, reflect a meta favoring early pressure and fast executes in maps like Haven and Split.
2. Global Esports shows promise but needs consistency
The team’s ability to secure convincing wins , such as their sweep against VARREL, suggests potential, but facing a tactical opponent like Paper Rex underlined preparation and map control as areas for growth.
3. Paper Rex leverages experience and map control
With veteran poise and decisive performances from core players, Paper Rex looks poised to be a contender deep into the event, reflecting their strong results in past Pacific regional competition.
As VCT Pacific progresses, statistical trends such as early-round aggression-executes, duelistic impact, and round control will likely define which teams adapt successfully deeper into the triple-elimination format.
Team Secret drops to the middle bracket and faces Japan’s DetonatioN FocusMe on January 29. Global Esports will play ZETA DIVISION, also in the middle bracket, on the same day. Paper Rex, buffered by its win over Global Esports, meets RRQ in the Upper Bracket on January 31.
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