Wicked Geniuses went from being an unknown entity, to global champions, to an unknown entity as soon as once more. The vast majority of the VALORANT Champions 2023 roster is in other places this past, however that didn’t oppose the unused squad coached by means of Christine “Potter” Chi used to be straight away proving they belong.
Even with 4 unused avid gamers, the group retained its condition as champions and won a bye into the second one spherical of the VCT Americas Kickoff Staff Degree. They made essentially the most people, besting G2 Esports in a tight-knit 2:0 sequence. Afterwards, we chatted with tutor Potter in regards to the unused group and the victory.
Potter discusses EG’s Icebox comp, getting the unused roster settled in, and the way she rest leading edge in her training
![Evil Geniuses huddles, led by coach Potter, onstage before competing at VCT Americas Kickoff on Day 2 of Week 2 at Riot Games Arena on February 24, 2024.](https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Potter-EG-huddle-vs-G2-1024x683.jpg)
“It was a super slow start on Sunset. You had to burn your timeouts very early on. During those, what was the discussion with the team about coming back from such a large deficit?”
Potter: “It wasn’t too of a lot of a significant communicate. There have been a couple of key issues going incorrect for us at the protection. Aa few items of information that had been lacking, however in reality the avid gamers felt like they had been lacking it. But it surely wasn’t the case.
“We for sure had what we had to akin out the ones rounds. A tiny bit dreadful, but it surely used to be a shaky gradual get started. We weren’t enjoying with as a lot self belief as we for sure play games with in scrims. So, the dialog used to be simply reinforcing that what we had been doing used to be proper.
“We just needed to do a few things that…I’m trying not to say what we needed to fix out loud. So, that’s why it sounds like I’m just going in circles, but anyways, we talked about specific things that we needed to fix.”
“Well, it had to happen in overtime, but they did it. A lot of this team doesn’t have the experience on this stage, so what does keeping their cool and getting that map win say about their resolve?”
Potter: “It says such a lot. When I used to be construction this roster, even one of the vital avid gamers, no longer everybody used to be offered at the roster. One of the vital key characteristics {that a} accumulation of those avid gamers had, a accumulation in their strengths used to be precisely what we wanted.
“As a way to flip round a logo unused group in this sort of cut quantity of week in an effort to be aggressive. And I’m so satisfied that the ones bets paid off. I ruthless, Phat (supamen) is only a nearer, this man is, he’s lunatic.
“And we knew it, proper? I knew he used to be committing to be. I didn’t know evidently 100%, as a result of he hasn’t in fact competed in a obese VALORANT LAN in his occupation. However he has such a lot historical past in alternative video games, and making it to the brilliant finals on LAN.
“So, I knew that form of revel in used to be what we had to aid out Jawgemo on that entrance. As a result of such as you simply stated, everyone seems to be logo unused. Everyone seems to be logo unused enjoying at this stage, and enjoying on degree, and it being this critical.
“So, it was nice to have a second player, in Phat, that was just stoic, just confident, completely believes in what we’ve worked on all week long, and it’s not going to phase him. That was super important. Having supamen in the squad, on that stage, helped us a lot.”
![Evil Geniuses seen onstage after victory at VCT Americas Kickoff on Day 2 of Week 2 at Riot Games Arena on February 24, 2024.](https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EG-after-G2-victory-1024x683.jpg)
“And with the smaller group and bye into this round from winning Champions, did any of the new members of EG mention their eagerness to play? Did any of them wish they could have a match sooner?”
Potter: “No, no, definitely not. I think we were all very feeling very lucky to have such a cushion this year. Being able to sit back and watch everyone else start, and observe, and just kind of understand that we’re up next. That was really good breathing room for us.”
“It’s easy to get a bit ahead of yourself after such a massive victory, but the team did a great job hanging in there once again on Icebox. What were some pivotal moments you can recall from map two that swung it in your favor?”
Potter: “It used to be that half-buy spherical win, I feel it used to be 8:8 or 8:9. I disregard precisely what spherical it used to be in. Changing that for sure swung a accumulation in our partial. Coping with leaf’s Op used to be for sure a topic, particularly with the comp that we had been operating. It’s simply no longer the best as opposed to assured Operators.
“But I’m so proud of the guys. The problem solving that we went through on stage, being able to quickly think on our feet like that, and adjust and adapt, that is really our game plan. It’s what won us Champions last year. So, having the guys be able to experience that together and come out on top on in such a close series, it means a lot for us.”
![Evil Geniuses seen onstage after victory at VCT Americas Kickoff on Day 2 of Week 2 at Riot Games Arena on February 24, 2024.](https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EG-posing-after-win-1024x683.jpg)
“Okay, now I’ve got to ask about the comp on Icebox. Who came up with it, the goal of it, why do you think it works? Whatever you want to tell me about it.”
Potter: “I got here up with the comp. I keep an eye on the entire comps for EG. That’s been the case because the very starting. I keep an eye on the entire macro, the entire pistols, anti-ecos, such things as that. So, that used to be my comp, and I simply knew that it will paintings, as a result of Jawgemo used to be so interested by Impasse.
“I don’t assume it will’ve labored if I used to be interested by Impasse and I stated, ‘Hello, Jaw, I feel Impasse is superb.’ And after advised him he needed to apply my directions. It wouldn’t have labored out. Jaw had to be impressed and he wanted in an effort to prepare dinner on his personal, and that’s precisely what he did.
“I laid out the macro, I laid out precisely how we will build Impasse paintings, what worth must be combo’d with what, to in fact be capable of build Impasse viable. In point of fact simply hanging out on paper what the ones trade-offs are.
“Dropping the Jett, shedding that form of range maker, however in reality shedding that Op prowess on Icebox used to be one thing that we wanted to speak about out raucous. In order that we all know what we want to catch up on, for shedding that.
“And Jaw, simply stylistically personally, he’s simply such an competitive participant as it’s. He’s in a position to only build reads right away, relying on what his teammates are giving him information smart. So, as a result of he’s so positive of himself, and since he’s in a position to react so neatly, so rapid, having that trade-off of shedding that Jett or shedding a Raze, shedding a Duelist, it didn’t harm us that a lot.
“So, that’s the place we felt impressed. I feel Impasse’s worth is good-looking alike to Raze. It’s no longer the similar, clearly. The shoot attainable on Raze is far upper, however so far as how you’re employed with Impasse, and the way you usefulness Impasse, for us, it simply used to be sunny that it used to be very alike to Raze stylistically.
“So, it just worked out. And my job was to keep them inspired, right? Keep them excited about it, have them see the vision. This being the first tournament of the year, we have all the opportunity to throw out curveballs to be able to surprise people. So, why not? Why wouldn’t we take advantage of this? That’s how I pitched it, and everyone was excited about it.”
![Evil Geniuses and coach potter, seen onstage after victory at VCT Americas Kickoff on Day 2 of Week 2 at Riot Games Arena on February 24, 2024.](https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EG-celebrating-map-win-1024x683.jpg)
“Coming into the year, once again stating this is a pretty new team. Do you still treat them as if they’re the championship winning roster from 2023?”
Potter: “Negative, for sure no longer. Each and every group has to start out from 0. Terminating past’s group, we had a core in Boostio, C0M and Jawgemo, however as the 2 unused avid gamers got here in, as we made roster changes, you’ve gotten in an effort to adapt.
“And so the group that we had been on the finish of extreme past used to be not at all the group that we began off the past with. We tailored. And we’re in reality pleased with that. I’m in reality pleased with that. I’m in reality pleased with with the ability to learn the room, learn the meta, and make the most of the gear which can be in entrance of me.
“That’s pretty much basically what this is. I’m learning what the strengths of my players are, so the start of this year is very similar to the start of last year’s start. As far as figuring each other out and figuring out how we’re going to win together.”
“I’d like to know, are there any traditional sports coaches that you’re maybe inspired by or even just traditional sports coaching methods you’ve implemented with Evil Geniuses?”
Potter: “I’m no longer excess into that, however my brother is. My brother, he’s simply my inspiration. He’s my hero. So, once we speak, each time he offers me recommendation, it’s at all times recommendation that I will be able to do, that I will be able to keep an eye on, and issues that I will be able to do.
“He simply tells me at all times to do my task. That’s at all times resonated with me, and it didn’t at all times ruthless the similar factor, ‘do your task.’ However as I’ve gotten used and as my training occupation has advanced, that ‘do your task’ section is what I reside by means of.
“That’s what I tell my players every day, just focus on yourself, do your job, and do what you can control. Don’t worry about your teammates, don’t worry about me, don’t worry about anything else. Just do your job. And you have to believe that at the end, it will come together if you’re doing your part. So, that’s pretty much how EG has been since day one.”
![Coach “potter” of Evil Geniuses waves onstage after victory at VCT Americas Kickoff on Day 2 of Week 2 at Riot Games Arena on February 24, 2024.](https://admin.esports.gg/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Potter-waving-1024x683.jpg)
“And after doing this for as long as you have, winning VALORANT’S most recent world championship tournament, coach of the year awards, all of that. Are you doing anything to keep your coaching fresh and innovative?”
Potter: “Just right query. It’s in reality about getting impressed by means of my very own avid gamers. I’ve at all times mentioned it since I’ve been training, I used to be telling society, ‘Yeah, I stole that from LOUD, I stole that from DRX,’ and I’m very easy about it.
“I come from Counter-Accident, and we’re very just like that. We’re very just like, ‘If it ain’t beggarly, why would you cure it?’ So, we’re very impressed by means of Saadhak and LOUD, and by means of DRX. I’ve been doing it for see you later that I do know that preserving it easy is at all times the most efficient.
“I’m very vocal and very adamant about having my players understand the macro. And as long as they understand the macro, then they’ll be able to make their own moves wherever they want. It doesn’t really matter what the game plan is after, as long as we’re on the same page about the macro. So, that’s my coaching style, is putting a lot of emphasis on the macro.”
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