Photo: MPL Philippines

By Tiffany Dela Cruz

Cyric “K1NGKONG” Perez is making a conscious effort to expand his hero pool—embracing a more flexible role in the jungle to better suit ONIC PH’s evolving needs.

Long known for his mastery of high-risk, high-reward assassin picks like Fanny and Lancelot, K1NGKONG has built his reputation on lightning-quick hands and razor-sharp reflexes—traits that have made him one of the most feared mechanical junglers in the league.

But with the meta shifting and ONIC PH searching for more consistency, the need to adapt has become just as important as mechanical brilliance.

Photo: MPL Philippines

“We really worked on my adjustment to playing a utility jungle role, especially on heroes like Baxia and Fredrinn,” said K1NGKONG after ONIC PH’s win over Aurora Gaming PH to cap Week 3.

That shift, in turn, has given coach Jeniel "Haze" Bata-anon more room to maneuver in the draft, allowing ONIC PH to explore a wider range of compositions and respond better to different matchups.

“As a team, we really put time into it because I feel like it makes drafting easier for Sir Haze and Coach Bluff when I’m more flexible,” he added.

The added flexibility has started to pay off, with ONIC PH climbing to a 3–2 record in the standings—good for third place as they continue to find their rhythm midway through the regular season.

K1NGKONG remains confident that the ongoing adjustments will only lead to better things for ONIC PH moving forward, believing that the team’s growing flexibility and improved coordination will translate into stronger, more consistent performances in the crucial stages of the season.