NEO on HOTU: “I won’t lie—we were a little scared when we realized we’d have to play against them again.”

I’m very proud of this victory. After all, we lost to these guys just a couple of days ago. So it’s really satisfying that we were able to learn from some of the mistakes we made earlier and win this match.

We expected that after beating us, they’d be feeling confident. So we had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Plus, it seems like they have a very busy schedule themselves. We knew that not much would have changed in their gameplay. As for us, we’re still getting the hang of Cache, specifically speaking about that map. That’s why it’s easier for us to incorporate new strategies right in the middle of our prep. I won’t lie—we were a little scared when we realized we’d have to face them again. They’re a very tough opponent.

I think it takes time to figure out a lot of things, and only then can you get involved and have a bigger impact. I’m trying to get to know the team as quickly as possible because the season has just started and the schedule is very tight. So, of course, there’s still a lot of work to do. But then again, it’s always been that way—it’s just part of the game.

Every captain, every person, is different to some extent. Everyone works differently. So, yes, it takes time to gel with HooXi, find common ground, and establish our workflow.