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Team Heretics secured their place in the grand finals of VALORANT Champions 2024 after a dominant 3-1 victory over Leviatán in the lower bracket finals.
This victory marks their fourth grand final appearance of the year, having previously reached the finals in Shanghai and EMEA Stage 1.
LOS NIÑOS GET THEIR REVENGE!
TEAM HERETICS DEFEATS LEV AND CLAIMS THEIR SPOT IN THE GRAND FINALS! #VALORANTChampions #VamosHeretics pic.twitter.com/T0qVKFFBZq
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 24, 2024
The best-of-five series was fought on Icebox, Sunset, Abyss, and Lotus, with Icebox and Abyss being Leviatán’s picks, and Sunset and Lotus chosen by Team Heretics.
Heretics started strong, winning Icebox 13-7 despite Leviatán’s confidence on this map, which had been a cornerstone of their recent success.
Dominykas “Miniboo” Lukaševičius led the charge for Heretics with 19 kills, setting the tone for the series.
Sunset was a nail-biter, going into overtime after Leviatán clawed their way back from an 8-4 deficit.
Heretics, however, managed to secure the map 15–13, thanks to standout performances from Miniboo and Enes “RieNs” Ecirli, who contributed 22 and 25 kills, respectively.
Leviatán found some redemption on Abyss, where they executed a strong defensive strategy to win 13-9, showcasing their resilience.
Roberto “Mazino” Francisco Rivas Bugueño’s exceptional utility usage and Corbin “C0M” Daniel Lee’s flanks were key in this map, giving Leviatán hope for a reverse sweep.
However, Lotus proved to be the decisive map.
Heretics delivered a crushing 13-3 victory, dominating the first half with an 11-1 scoreline.
RieNs once again shone, finishing with a series-high 1.22 rating and 68 kills overall, further bolstering his case for rookie of the year.
Leviatán’s campaign ended in third place, falling short of the grand finals despite their strong performances throughout the year.
Their hopes of a second Champions title for Erick “aspas” Santos and C0M were dashed, but they can take pride in being the highest-placed team from the Americas region.
For Team Heretics, this victory sets up a rematch with EDward Gaming in the grand final.
The last time these two teams met was in the playoffs of Masters Shanghai, where Heretics secured a 2-0 victory.
Sunday’s grand final, set to take place at INSPIRE Arena at 4pm KST, will determine whether Heretics can finally claim a title after three runner-up finishes this year.
Heretics’ coach, Neil “neilzinho” Finlay, acknowledges the challenge ahead, noting that EDward Gaming has improved significantly since their last encounter.
As both teams prepare for the ultimate showdown, the stage is set for an epic conclusion to 2024 VALORANT season.
A must-watch series!
See you soon for the Grand Finals of #VALORANTChampions Seoul! pic.twitter.com/XgVKufvigN
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 24, 2024
