The NCS season is officially over, and after a dramatic journey filled with surprises and intense matchups, Invicta stands as winners for the second time in a row.
The team has cemented their position as the undisputed kings of the league with yet another blue star on their resume. Invicta's path to the top was anything but easy.
After losing Group B to Unsigned, they started the playoffs as the second seed - far from the dominant form many had expected.
The situation worsened in the upper bracket semifinal, where they lost a nerve-wracking overtime match to Avanti 14-16, sending them down to the lower bracket. But it was here that Invicta showed their true championship qualities.
They fought their way through the lower bracket and made it back to the grand final, where they swept Avanti off the field with a perfect 2-0 victory. The core trio consisting of Sl1ze, Vigg0, and -AVJ- delivered MVP-level performances throughout the tournament.
Sl1ze secured the Tournament MVP title as the crowning achievement, while Vigg0 closely followed as EVP, once again proving why he is one of the most reliable stars in the scene. Avanti came in as the second seed, but their group play was disastrous.
They lost all three matches and qualified for the playoffs as the lowest possible seed.
But when the elimination matches began, Avanti finally woke up. They shocked by defeating Group A winners Evo Novo 13-5, demolished eSpuma 2-0 in the upper bracket final, and booked their ticket to the final.
Although their adventure ended against Invicta, they lived up to expectations when it really mattered. Among Avanti's top performers were Finui with a 1.24 HLTV 2.0 rating, Lynch with 1.12, and BlocH also with 1.12.
A heartbreaking ending, but a respectable comeback story. Few had predicted that eSpuma would become the tournament's biggest surprise, but they delivered one of the most impressive runs.
They fought their way through the playoffs to the upper bracket final, where they lost to Avanti, and ended up in third place after losing to Invicta in the lower bracket final. eSpuma's campaign was highlighted by b1zjr's 1.07 HLTV 2.0 rating as IGL and Z1noz's 1.06 rating with consistent AWP play.
A team that proved miracles can happen. Evo Novo ended in fourth place with a performance that matched expectations.
Coming from the lower Powerleague division, they showed glimpses of excellent Counter-Strike.
They topped their group but struggled to match the firepower of the top seeds in the playoff elimination matches. Nevertheless, stars emerged with MOLLER- at a 1.23 HLTV 2.0 rating and Borstry at 1.21.
A respectable effort and a foundation to build upon. Future Gaming - a team that had already disbanded before the event - came to NCS with great individual skills but little synergy left in the tank.
At moments, their Counter-Strike looked brilliant, but chemistry issues resurfaced and cost them dearly.
They ended in a shared fifth place. Powerstats came in as lower seeds but played far above expectations at times with great comebacks and excellent individual performances, especially from Hanth with a strong 1.22 HLTV 2.0 rating.
In the end, their playoff performance collapsed, and they couldn't convert glimpses of brilliance into a deeper run. The tournament's biggest disappointment was Olgod Efterskole.
Many analysts had pointed to them as the dark horse that could win it all, but team chemistry issues plagued them throughout the event.
Their new lineup never found its rhythm and was eliminated first with a 7th-8th place. Unsigned shocked everyone by winning Group B, but the momentum evaporated in the playoffs.
They lost both their elimination matches and ended up in 7th-8th place, from heroes to zeros almost instantly.
Despite the collapse, there were bright spots, especially Troski's 1.10 HLTV 2.0 rating. Another NCS season is in the books, and it delivered everything: dominant champions, shock eliminations, new stars, and unforgettable performances.
But when all is said and done, one truth stands above all else: Invicta remains the team to beat.
Champions again, legends confirmed, and the dynasty grows.