NiP.Freeze: “It all depends on our results…”

Unfortunately, the NiP curse continues. What was the team mentality coming into the playoffs?

Lately, we have been doing quite badly in both competitive and scrims. The worst thing was one of our players leaving to Gamers2 two days before the playoffs, so we did not expect to win the tournament, however a top 3 finish which gives a spot in the Promotion/Relegation series was a must. In the end, we were incredibly sad by our inability to win a best of three.

You were surprised by an inspired SK Prime. Is their performance against your team a good estimate of their skill level?

What improved SKP tremendously was the jungler change. Kikis is a very good player and when they picked him they became one of the top teams in Europe in terms of teamplay and shotcalling. I also believe they have a legitimate shot at making it into the LCS should they continue to perform the way they do now.

The other wildcard was Unicorns of Love. How could a team with a substitute jungler upset Gamers2, Ninjas in Pyjamas and then go toe to toe with the eventual winner H2K Gaming?

They have a unique play style. Picking unconventional picks is their forte and their aim is to surprise and throw you off guard. If they can pull out something like their Cassiopeia mid or Kog'Maw mid and snatch one or two games, then entering the LCS is not that distant of a possibility. They would also have to rely on their enemy crumbling mentally. They are a decent team, but should their opponents prepare thoroughly, chances are slim.

Spring is now the next chance for a LCS spot. Has there been a long term plan set from management, coach or team?

Not yet. We have GamesCom now and depending on how it goes, we will decide whether continuing as a team is the best option or the squad will depart the organisation. I think there is something brewing behind the scenes, but I cannot say for sure.

How much did k0u leaving NiP affect the line-up in the long run and could have loulex realistically filled in the void during EUCS?

We tried loulex back then and that did not work out. Now we are now trialing with ImSoFresh, so in the end, the jungler position has not been taken. The change was better for the long term - our mentality was bad at the time, but we are steadily improving now. All in all, finding a person suitable for the team in and out of the game is a balance all must seek.

You mentioned ImSoFresh. Compared to loulex and k0u, what does Karim bring to the table as a NiP jungler?

First and foremost, a lot of shotcalling! Regardless whether the call is good or not, he is not afraid to take the responsibility for both his actions and the consequences. Before him, no one was willing to do that as our shot calling came from all over the place and I am glad that Karim brought that with him. If we can speed up the team bonding and get used to each other, we can produce really good results.

Once a sworn enemy on Cloud9 Eclipse, Voidle is now your support. How do you two compare to the rest of the Challenger scene duos and are you better than an LCS bot lane?

I think we are one of the strongest bot lanes in the Challenger Series. Despite having a ton of duo games when we weren't in NiP, out styles did not really fit - I like to be aggressive while Erih likes to be more defensive in certain situations. After a substantial amount of practice games, however, we found the right balance that allowed us to be considered among the very best.

In a reflections interview with FORG1VEN, the Greek AD Carry stated, that in the context of their team, Europe had six good AD Carries. Do you agree with that statement?

I would go as far as to say that there were a few good ones - Rekkles and Tabzz immediately come to mind. Come to think of it, I actually agree with the statement. The stereotype attached to Europe was that we have sub-par AD Carries, but I do not agree. I think in general that we have a bunch of really strong players that can perform and have a unique play style. I cannot really call any of them at the moment bad.

How can Freeze defeat the curse?

Keep fighting and never give up!

What can we expect from NiP in the future?

A new roster. Nothing is set in stone, but there are a few possibilities brewing from management. To be completely honest, it all comes down to our results - if they are good we stay the same, if not there will be changes.

Thank you very much for your time, Freeze. The last words are yours.

First of all, thank you for the interview. Also a big thanks to everyone who cheers for me and accompanies me in the battle against the curse. Hopefully, we will beat it together!

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