LCS powerhouses 100 Thieves (100T) and Cloud9 (C9) have gotten off to a great start for the 2022 season. Even though it is only preseason, the two squads have shown strong performances in the Lock-In tournament and look far and away the top teams in their group. Both now sport a 100% win rate, while FlyQuest (FLY) and Golden Guardians (GGS) sit at the bottom of the standings. Here's how the games unfolded on the first day of LCS Lock-In 2022.
LCS Lock-In 2022: Group A recap
Unlike last year's Lock-In where fans got a good glimpse of the starting lineups ahead of the Spring Split, more Academy players are gracing the 2022 iteration of the LCS preseason tournament. For viewers, this may seem like a bit of a disappointment, especially with the crazy roster shuffle that unfolded in the off-season. But the situation was not entirely in the team's hands either, with C9, Team SoloMid and Team Liquid all running into visa, residency, and travel issues.
C9 went for a mixed lineup, featuring Blaber and Fudge from the main roster, alongside Darshan, Zven, and Isles. Surprisingly, though, GGS also opted to field the entire Academy lineup instead of the main squad, significantly lowering their chances of advancing far in the tournament. The ramifications of that decision showed right away, with GGS dropping both of their games today. Then again, they also had to face the expected top two teams in the group—a tall order for the caliber of players on the roster.
100 Thieves hit the ground running
Perhaps to no one's surprise, defending LCS champions 100T showed why they are the favorites to win the preseason tournament, and likely the Spring trophy as well. The opening game against TSM (Academy) was one-sided from start to finish. TSM had little answers to how 100T were moving around the map, leading to a sub-30-minute game.
Later in the day, 100 Thieves' matchup against GGS was slightly slower, but still dominant. Early on, both sides were trading blows and keeping the kills close. But 100T outclassed their opponents once again, taking control through the teamfights while GGS couldn't force their way through.
All in all, 100 Thieves players are showing why they are ones to watch. Jungler Closer continues to be aggressive in initiating fights. Meanwhile, AD Carry FBI had a spectacular day on Jinx and Caitlyn, proving his reliability as a rising marksman in NA.
Priority on drake control pays off for Cloud9
Cloud9 also went two-for-two on the day, though in slightly less dominant fashion than 100T. Fans will remember C9's early aggression playstyle last season, but today's squad approached the game in a different way. They played slow and steady—not to say that they were passive, but that they did not feel the need to snowball to win. Indeed, even when there were mistakes made or advantages conceded to their opponents, C9 did not look too threatened and retained control of the map by stacking dragons.
They were unbothered facing off against Corki in both games. Darshan's Sion grew too tanky for GGS to inflict any real damage in the first match, while Blaber and Isles combined for peel and initiation to win the teamfights. FLY Toucouille's Corki was also rendered ineffective, unable to unleash the package even when knockups had left C9 players in a vulnerable position. Zven also had a fantastic game on Ziggs, helping push the tempo of the game to take down turrets and keep the lanes shoved.
FlyQuest, GGS have disappointing starts as TSM's Academy roster goes even
TSM Academy went into Lock-In with little expectations surrounding them. While the crushing loss against 100T set them off on the wrong foot, the players bounced back in the second game of the day. In a long, drawn-out game with nearly 40 kills total, the two sides went toe-to-toe. TSM pulled through in the end, largely thanks to a good teamfight that led to a baron secure. Even as FLY tried to claw their way back into the game and delay their opponents from taking their base, TSM managed to clinch the victory and end the first day with an even record.
Of all the teams, FLY probably had the most disappointing results, especially as the side was fielding its main LCS roster. Falling against the Academy lineup did not leave a good impression. Even though they did not completely roll over against C9, they also could not take control of the game or maximize how much damage their champions could dish out. C9 always looked a step ahead, and even with the close teamfights, FlyQuest lacked that little extra quality to swing the game in their favor.
GGS also went 0-2, though perhaps it is to be expected for another Academy lineup. It's a shame that we won't get to see the main roster, as the players there have a lot of potential and probably could have made a difference today.
For live updates and the full list of matches of LCS Lock-In 2022, check out this post for the group stage game results, including each team's picks and a quick recap to get you up to speed in case you miss any of the action.
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