In a historic victory, Talk 'N Text emerged as the champions of the inaugural PBA Esports Bakbakan Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) tournament, sweeping their rivals Barangay Ginebra 3-0 in a virtual arena on Monday at the Circuit Makati Event Hall.
This win comes just 10 days after their victory in the PBA Governors' Cup, solidifying their dominance across both physical and digital arenas.
Aaren "TNT.Sindel" Palermo was named Finals MVP, with impressive performances on Karrie and Beatrix carry heroes — unleashing 7/1/4 KDA.
"Shoutout po sa tatay ko. Shoutout sa pamilya ko. At shoutout sa mga kakampi ko, kung hindi dahil sakanila, hindi namin ito makukuha at hindi ako magiging MVP," said Sindel.
TNT overcame a deficit in Game 1 to secure a win, followed by dominant performances in Games 2 and 3, including a come-from-behind victory in the clincher.
The Tropang Giga received solid support from TNT.KingJastro, TNT.Emperorzxc, TNT.Regi, and TNT.4na4na, as they claimed the P750,000 grand prize.
Despite the loss, Ginebra, led by prominent esports figure Naser "Akosi Dogie" Mollazehi, still took home P250,000 as the runner-up.
The tournament featured not just PBA players, but also fans, students, influencers, and ex-pro gamers, and was supported by a range of sponsors.
MLBB is just the first of many online games planned by PBA Esports, which aims to bridge the gap between basketball and esports in the Philippines.
