Reaching for the Summit: Valorant North America Challengers Last Chance Qualifiers, Day Two Recap

Oh, behold the carnage

We have now arrived at Day Three of the Valorant NA Challengers Last Chance Qualifiers, and from 256 teams, only 17 remain. Each team faced a double-elimination bracket in Bo3 format that tested them to their limits. Here is the full list of teams in the top 17:

Upper Bracket:

• The Nation
• 99 Strength
• Squirtle Squad
• YFP Gaming
• SHIFT
• Nearest Airport
• OREsports
• Moon Raccoons

Lower Bracket:

• Kitten Shelter
• Aspyre
• UNTAMABLE BEASTS
• unfazed
• VIRTUOSO
• Cosmic Divide
• Happy2bHere
• Skwirel Warriers
• Soniqs

Happy2bHere and Skwirel Warriers are the last remaining matchup from the round of 32. The winner of that series will face Soniqs in the lower bracket round of 16. There are quite a few returning squads to the top 16 from the Open Qualifiers a week ago, that being The Nation, 99 Strength, OREsports, Nearest Airport, Happy2bHere, Moon Raccoons, and Soniqs. Other favorites such as riribunobsumi and NSIC have been eliminated from the Last Chance Qualifier as of last night.

What to Expect?

Today’s series of qualifiers will determine the top 6 teams including the lower bracket. Continuing the format, series will be played in double-elimination format, in Bo3. Teams who lose their series in the lower bracket will be eliminated.

Favorites and Expected Matchup Conclusions

In the upper bracket, we have four matchups split across two sides of the bracket. In the first side, we have The Nation vs 99 Strength and Squirtle Squad vs YFP Gaming. Based on projected success and strength, The Nation is favored to take it, however it will be a close affair most likely. Both teams are strong, and a good day can shift the tides far for either side. Squirtle Squad is expected to come out ahead of YFP Gaming based on their win record and record thus far. Squirtle Squad has been defeating their opponents 2-0 in the majority of their matchups leading up to today.

In the other side, we have SHIFT vs Nearest Airport, and OREsports vs Moon Raccoons. The first matchup is expected to be neck and neck, with both teams virtually undefeated this event, however, Nearest Airport has the advantage of more experienced players, and having taken down popular streamer team UNTAMABLE BEASTS most recently. Moon Raccoons have looked a little shaky and most likely favor goes to OREsports to take their series.

The lower bracket is too chaotic to predict based on matchups, however, top teams that have a good chance of making it through would be Happy2bHere, unfazed, UNTAMABLE BEASTS and potentially either VIRTUOSO or Cosmic Divide (depending on which team wins the series). This Last Chance Qualifier also marks the first return of Jay "Sinatraa" Won to professional Valorant. Playing with former Sentinels Jared "zombs" Gitlin, streamer Connor "PROD" Moran, former OpTic Gaming Jimmy "Marved" Nguyen, and Coby "Dizzy" Meadows. The roster, UNTAMABLE BEASTS, has turned into a strong contender. That said, they are currently in the midst of the lower bracket, and will need to win 6 straight series to qualify.

Notable Eliminated Teams 

• NSIC
• The Silk Road
• jiliboo
• Rat Attack
• riribunobsumi

Image credit: Knights Arena