Two-time MPL Philippines champion and former MSC champion—Exp laner Kiel “KielVJ” Hernandez Cruzem—reintroduced himself to the league with a statement performance, propelling AP.Bren to a perfect start in Week 1 of MPL Philippines Season 17.
KielVJ last competed with the Omega franchise, where he helped the team secure a second-place finish in MPL Season 9. Since then, he has taken his talents across Asia. In 2023, he joined Singapore’s Bleed Esports, followed by a stint with the Cambodian squad Burn X Flash for the 2024 Games of the Future.
Shortly after, he joined XYG, making history as the first Filipino to compete in China during the China Invitationals. In the MSC 2024 China Qualifiers, he showcased his veteran pedigree by leading his squad to a flawless playoff run and securing first place. Most recently, he joined DFYG, where he once again led his team to a championship in the China Professional Invitationals Stage 2 in 2025. That win further proves his caliber, becoming just the second player to win a championship in MPL Philippines and abroad.
KielVJ Goes Full Circle
Now, after a three-year wait, he’s back where it all started. Already among the elite, he returns with greater experience and a broader grasp of different playstyles, making him more dangerous than ever. His arrival couldn’t have come at a better time for the Hive.
Since losing their core roster to the Falcons last year, AP.Bren has struggled to find its footing, finishing seventh in Season 15. With a young and less experienced core, adapting to the most sophisticated playstyles of the MLBB landscape may have been too big of a task. While Season 16 brought some reinforcements, the pieces didn’t quite click, leaving them at the bottom of the league—until now.
KielVJ, who also led Sunsparks to back-to-back championships in MPL Seasons 4 and 5, proved to be exactly what they needed to turn things around. With his veteran poise and clinical plays, he led the Hive to a convincing 2-0 sweep over his former squad, Omega Esports, on Day 2, before taking down a contender in TNC in a back-and-forth 2-1 series on Day 3. In both of those wins, he was nothing short of sensational, already earning MVP of the Game two times.
They are now atop the standings with a 2-0 record, tied with the defending champions, Team Liquid Philippines, and are already halfway to matching their total win count from last season.
While AP.Bren still has much to prove—especially against the league’s best—they’ve already made one thing clear: they are no longer a team anyone can take lightly this season. This is even truer now with KielVJ back in the mix.
