It’s no secret that TNC Pro Team has been one of the least successful teams in the league. Since securing a third‑place finish back in MPL Philippines Season 9, the Phoenix has been grounded, ending up at the bottom of the standings over the next five seasons.
Start of a Turnaround for TNC Pro Team
It took a while, but TNC Pro Team finally saw some life. The turnaround began when world champion and two‑time MPL Philippines king Frederic “BennyQT” Gonzales joined the squad last year, immediately proving his pedigree by leading TNC to a top‑five finish in Season 15 and pushing them back to the postseason.
Mid laner Lance “LanceCy” Cunanan also played a key role in the resurgence, earning the Most Improved Player award that season. Meanwhile, jungler Justine “Zaida” Palma, who spent most of his early career under the ECHO/TLPH franchise, proved he belonged among the elite tier, while internationally experienced EXP laner Frediemar “3MarTzy” Serafico provided stability in the sidelane. For the first time in years, the Phoenix looked like a legitimate team.
But the Phoenix didn’t stop there. Last August, TNC further bolstered their squad by acquiring legendary roamer Joshua “Ch4knu” Mangilog, and the results spoke for themselves. TNC transformed into a powerhouse, shattering expectations to lock in a top‑three finish in Season 16, falling just shy of the Grand Finals after a gritty lower‑bracket battle against TLPH.
This season, TNC Pro Team further reinforced their lineup with the addition of mid laner Dale “Stowm” Vidor. Having played both locally and abroad, Stowm provided the team with an even deeper well of experience. Coming off a highly successful run in Season 16 and possessing more weapons on the roster, the Phoenix looked ready for even greater heights.
TNC Pro Team Fails to Live Up to Expectations
But things didn’t end up the way they had hoped. Though they secured some major upsets—including dominant 2-0 sweeps against heavy contenders Aurora Gaming and ONIC PH—they largely struggled with consistency, ultimately finishing back at the bottom of the league with a disappointing 2-12 record.
In the wake of that heartbreaking run, TNC decided that it needed a major revamp. Earlier today, the club announced in a social media post that all but one of their Season 17 lineup had been placed on the inactive list, leaving Zaida as the only active player on the roster.
Being placed on the inactive list doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re out of the lineup for good. In fact, the legendary duo of V33Wise was also placed on inactive status a couple of times during their time with Blacklist International to rest, yet they eventually played again. This setup provides both the management and the players with much‑needed breathing room. However, since the players are still technically with the team, they cannot sign elsewhere unless given a formal release.
TNC Pro Team Moves Forward
A similar situation also unfolded just before the start of the season with Kiel “Oheb” Soriano and TLPH. The club initially announced that the star gold laner would be moved to the inactive roster. However, that arrangement quickly fell apart as Soriano himself clarified on social media that he had actually parted ways with the team and would be sorting out the details through legal channels. Hopefully, the situation between TNC and its players won’t escalate to that point.
But now that the bad season is over and the decision has been made, TNC Pro Team has officially begun moving toward its next chapter, which will undoubtedly focus on building a new squad around Zaida. While the future of icons BennyQT and Ch4knu under the orange‑and‑black banner remains up in the air, the Phoenix have made one thing clear: they will never settle for the bottom tier again.
