If you’ve been following the local Valorant scene since its inception, the name Qpert is likely familiar. This is because he’s been competing in this esport since the game’s release, and has become a prominent name in the highest tier of Valorant esports. Recently he’s joined the ranks of SK Gaming, and while it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for his squad, they are only one match away from reaching playoffs of Valorant Challengers DACH. Let’s dive into their journey so far:
Qpert and SK – The story so far
SK Gaming is one of the most distinguished organisations in all of esports. Founded in 1997, SK has fielded rosters in various esports titles, most notably CS:GO, League of Legends, as well as FIFA. The organisation first entered the esports earlier this year, when they announced a European squad to compete in Valorant Challengers DACH, a league specifcally catered towards the German esports scene. SK placed third in the first split of the season, netting them €3,000 and automatically qualifying them to the second split.
Once the season concluded, SK announced that they had let go of Bati, and acquired Qpert as his direct replacement. As mentioned in the introduction above, Qpert is quite a well known figure in the scene, competing for teams such as PENTA, Cloud9, and Digital Athletics. He’also had a brief stint at assistant coaching for The Guard, and an analyst role for Team Liquid. SK Gaming is the latest step in his inspiring story.
Performance in Valorant Challengers
SK Gaming’s second split kicked off with a disappointing 0-2 loss against FOKUS, followed by a dominant 2-0 win versus Permitta Unicorns. The next week, it got a bit intense for SK as they managed to edge out a very tight win against MOUZ. Qpert even went on to say that he was proud of his teammates and so far it looked like a promising start to the team’s venture in the second split of the season.
GGs 2-1 against @mousesports , so proud of my boys for staying composed after such a hectic game in every aspect, ball dont lie. GGs
— SK qpert (@qpert999) May 27, 2024
In the weeks that followed, SK’s performance was mixed:
- SK 2-1 XPERION NXT
- SK 0-2 DIVIZON
- SK 0-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
- SK 0-2 ALTERNATE aTTaX
- SK 2-1 Ovation
Qpert & SK Gaming currently stand in 7th, tied in scores with rivals ALTERNATE aTTaX and DIVIZON. SK must now prove their worth in their final match of the regular season against CGN Esports. By no means is this an easy feat, as CGN currently top the leaderboard with a staggering score line of 7 wins and 1 loss. Given that CGN are already qualified for playoffs, will they take this match versus SK Gaming for granted? Catch all the action tomorrow, the 30th of June at 8PM CEST, where it will be streamed on the official channel of Valorant Challenger League DACH.
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/valorantleague_dach
What does it mean for SK to reach the Playoffs?
It definitely won’t be easy, but it’s do-or-die for this SK Gaming squad, facing off the best team in the league to reach the next stage of the tournament. Reaching playoffs and going far into the bracket would validate the trust put into Qpert’s leadership and the team’s decision to bring him onto their project.
Something worth mentioning is that in the first split of the season the team had reached playoffs by placing fourth in the regular season. Despite this placement, the team immediately dropped into the lower bracket after a 2-0 loss against FOKUS. However, after a miraculous run through the lower bracket, SK Gaming managed clinch 3rd place.
Qpert and SK are on a lifeline, and must showcase their best form in the final match of the regular season to reach playoffs and be one-step closer to winning the split. If you’re a fan of Valorant esports, be sure to tune into the stream on the match day and support Qpert and his team!