Enkay J: Replacing broky was hard but inevitable

FaZe defeated BetBoom 2-0 in the XSE Pro League Guangzhou quarter-finals to reach the semi-finals. Coach Niclas “Enkay J” Krumhorn confirmed the decision to replace longtime AWPer Helvijs “broky” Saukants followed the team’s showing at Stake Ranked 2 in Barcelona and described Jason “JBOEN” Boe Nielsen’s debut as strong.

The team opened the Guangzhou event with best-of-one losses to TYLOO and MIBR, then won four consecutive series, three of them without dropping a map. Opponents during that run included SINNERS, 3DMAX and EYEBALLERS before the quarter-final meeting with BetBoom on July 10.

Enkay J pointed to early rounds and match planning as key factors in the win over BetBoom, noting the team won three of four pistol rounds and executed plans on Cache and Ancient. He said Ancient was more effective for FaZe on the CT side in that series.

On the roster change, Enkay J described the decision as clear after the Barcelona event and said it was agreed by coaching staff and upper management. He called the choice painful because of broky’s history with the organization but added it was unavoidable.

JBOEN joined the roster shortly before the event and had two days of practice with FaZe before flying to Guangzhou. Enkay J had reviewed JBOEN’s demos and expected a high skill ceiling; “I didn’t expect JBOEN to put up that performance, but I knew what he was capable of,” he noted.

After the 0-2 start, the team held a frank discussion, adjusted its match preparation and focused on early-round execution. Enkay J described the squad as currently momentum-based and said a stronger start in matches helped the turnaround.

FaZe invested focused practice time on Cache, including a full day of tactical work when an AWP was not available. Enkay J credited both that preparation and the players’ enthusiasm for their Cache results so far.

FaZe will face PARIVISION in the semi-finals. Enkay J called FaZe the underdogs by roster comparison, citing PARIVISION’s recent additions and current form. He also acknowledged strong local support in Guangzhou and thanked the crowd for their energy.

Enkay J reiterated the practical reasons behind recent decisions: the replacement of broky was made after Barcelona, JBOEN was selected in part because of limited time for negotiations, and tactical changes followed the early losses and preceded the run to the semi-finals.