TSM fail to qualify for 2022 VCT NA Challengers 1

TSM lost in the VALORANT Champions Tour Qualifier 2 lower bracket to Built By Gamers on Saturday, failing to qualify for VCT North America Challengers 1 in 2022. After a tumultuous 2021 season, hitting both high peaks and bad stretches, they failed to qualify for Champions. Hoping to return to form in 2022, this loss leaves TSM out of the first major NA tournament of the 2022 VCT season.

https://twitter.com/builtbygamers/status/1490183416649687046?s=20&t=rhEVjQoipQFaGs1gRKNZ7w

A misstep for TSM to start 2022

In this second qualifier for Challengers 1, the first bracket held a lot of familiar organizations to fans of VCT in 2021. Those teams included FaZe Clan, T1, Luminosity, and Rise Gaming, all of which TSM could face in their path to qualification. With the two new players of Daniel “Rossy” Abedrabbo and Corey “corey” Nigra joining their roster, the team had to win against good teams to make it through. Alas, after winning their first match and watching FaZe Clan fall to the lower bracket, they lost a close match 2-1 to Ghost Gaming. The same team that had sent FaZe to the lower bracket did the same to TSM.

Meanwhile, in the lower bracket, TSM fought to make it through to a qualification spot. They got farther than both T1 and FaZe Clan did, as they lost in the lower bracket’s second round. But, in the final game of Saturday’s matches, they fell to Built By Gamers and failed to qualify. To add insult to injury, Built By Gamers fielded a substitute player familiar to TSM. Inactive teammate Sean “bang” Bezerra stepped in for BBG, helping them achieve a 2-0 victory. Bang’s performance in their matchup showed his talent, leading the lobby in KAST (90%) and assists (15).

This loss means that TSM will not return to the 2022 VCT NA scene until Challengers 2’s qualifications. Stage 2 of VCT and the subsequent qualifiers in North America start in May.