Coach Panda hailed as SMART Coach of the Year; ECHO Sanji bags Rookie of the Year plum

There are coaches who became so good that they changed the game but there are only few who became so great that they impacted their players’ lives.

That’s exactly the philosophy behind RSG Slate Philippines head coach Brian “Panda” Lim who not only became the mind behind the success of his team last year but also instilled discipline, sportsmanship and competitiveness to his team, enabling his players to also thrive outside the game.

The two-time MPL Philippines champion tactician displayed undeniable coaching wits with his impressive drafts and strategies which showed the way for RSG’s rise to the MPL Philippines Season 9 and MLBB Southeast Asia Cup 2022 thrones.

His team’s success along with his charismatic leadership was enough for coach Panda to be hailed as the SMART Coach of the Year by the MPL Philippines Press Corps.

Also talking about grace under pressure, there’s no greater player who displayed maturity beyond his years than ECHO rookie Alston “Sanji” Pabico as he is also set to be awarded with the SMART Rookie of the Year plum.

The 17-year-old midlaner took over the spot from the seasoned veteran Jankurt “KurtTzy” Matira in the main five in Season 10 and immediately proved that he belongs to the big league. The Orcas newcomer didn’t shy away from the spotlight and instead fully embraced the pressure as he played a pivotal part in ECHO’s title run in the M4 World Championship.

Panda and Sanji will be two of the brightest MPL PH stars who will grace the stage to receive their awards in the MPL Philippine Press Corps Awards Night, powered by SMART and also sponsored by Razor Gold and Evident Integrated Marketing and PR at the Amelie Hotel on March 8.