tabseN: Proud Despite BIG’s Cologne Exit

BIG captain Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz described the squad’s Cologne run as a positive step after the team were eliminated 2-3 by B8 in Stage 2 in Cologne, Germany. The loss ended BIG’s progression and left them short of Stage 3 and a match in front of their home crowd.

Earlier in the event BIG recovered from a 0-12 deficit to defeat NRG, a comeback Wodarz called extraordinary. “For me personally, I could not imagine to be this good at this time,” he said, noting the roster was around the top 100 last year and has improved since.

Wodarz said the team handled the tournament atmosphere and pressure well and described the week in Cologne as progress for the roster. He pointed to the coaching staff and the in-game leader as factors that will help the team learn from both wins and losses.

He expects the performance to generate more invitations to higher-level events. BIG is scheduled to compete in a tournament in China in two weeks with a $1 million prize pool; Wodarz called the event a major opportunity to face stronger opponents and to build on the form shown in Cologne.

Addressing the comeback against NRG, Wodarz called the moment “a miracle comeback” and suggested it revealed something special in the team. He added that the group will review matches from Cologne, draw lessons from their play and aim to convert the experience into more consistent results at upcoming tournaments.

Despite the elimination, Wodarz said he was proud of how the team performed overall and that the experience of playing in a tier-one atmosphere will be important for future events.