A so far uninspiring season from Team Vitatliy can still be turned around by a strong VCT EMEA Stage 2 playoff finish and subsequent VALORANT Champions qualification. The playoff road has now been laid out, starting with a matchup with NAVI, after ending the regular season with a win over out-of-form Karmine Corp. After their final victory, we spoke to Vitality’s IGL Jokūbas “ceNder” Labutis.

What are your immediate thoughts on that KC series? Pleased with the win?

ceNder: We would be pleased with 2-0! But we struggled on Lotus with our rotations, so it’s a little bit, you know, so so. But, yeah, I’m happy overall.

Lee: The first map on Icebox was really one-sided in your favour and then the other maps were much closer.

Why do you think there was that difference?

ceNder: The first map, I think maybe the comp they played was not comfortable for them. Maybe they had some counter-strat but it just didn’t work out. It just didn’t suit them and we actually had pretty nice retakes. We won 2v4, they threw some rounds as well. So maybe they were not comfortable. Maybe they were not ready as well. But the second map and third map, they were in shape – they were shooting back.

Lee: The win means you’ll start against NAVI in the Playoffs instead of the other possible opponent of Fnatic, who you would’ve been drawn against had you lost to KC.

Are you happy with how the draw turned out?

ceNder: Yeah, playing against NAVI is way gonna be, let’s say, not easier, but less stressful than playing against Fnatic.

Fnatic is still a top team. They’re doing well, they’re performing well, and NAVI is in a slump right now. They’re not performing very well, they’re making more mistakes than Fnatic. So I’m pleased playing against NAVI instead.

How have you found the coaching change since Gorilla was made head coach?

Lee: As IGL, I’d assume it’s impacted you more than your teammates.

ceNder: The change is healthy. I’m given more freedom. I don’t have to follow the textbook;  “do this round, do this round”. It’s freedom like; “do this round, but you have these options, adaptability.” You don’t have to follow the full script, you know, so it’s healthy IGLing.

It’s not like people can’t say anything. People actually help me a lot, trexx is helping me mid-rounding. He says; “let’s do this, let’s do this, do this instead”. And before the coach changed, it was only my voice and only my decisions pretty much. So I think this way of IGLing with people helping me, giving their opinions — because they see way more than me sometimes — is way better than before.

How have you found the transition to IGL now that it’s deep into your first year IGLing for Vitality?

Lee: When it was first announced you said you were confident that you’d suit the role, and even said that VCT generally has bad IGLs.

ceNder: The most important thing is to not get tilted. You don’t want to tilt IGL. So for myself, the most important thing as IGL is to not get tilted. Someone made that mistake, someone didn’t listen to you – you don’t get frustrated. It’s just a mistake. You have to move on, make the next calls. The most important [thing] is just don’t get tilted. Move on. Move on. Move on. If your IGL gets tilted, there is no voice to follow. I always want to keep my voice heard.

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