Cover-Credits:
- T1 has added Kuku and Whitemon as stand-ins to compete at BTS Pro Series S4: SEA.
- Kuku and Whitemon replace Sam_H and Poloson in the offlane and support role respectively.
The organization of T1 does not seem to take a chill pill in regards to roster changes as they have announced a new roster to compete at the upcoming BTS Pro Series S4: SEA. Filipino superstar Carlo "Kuku" Palad and free agent Matthew "Whitemon" Filemon, will be standing in for Samson Solomon Enojosa "Sam_H" Hidalgo and Wilson "Poloson" Koh Chin Wei respectively.
RELATED: T1 Complete Their Dota 2 Roster With Xepher And JaCkky
Kuku and Whitemon To Stand-In For T1 At BTS Pro Series S4
T1 announced their full lineup for BTS Pro Series S4 through a tweet earlier today. As the tweet communicates, Kuku and Whitemon will play for the team at the BTS Pro Series S4. They will be replacing Sam_H and Poloson in the respective offlane and support positions.
Both Kuku and Whitemon have been without a team since Geek Fam shut down its doors in September 2020 owing to financial issues presented by the current health crisis and the deferment of the DPC and TI. The two players have continued to compete in the various SEA tournaments through Among Us's temporary stack. Whitemon was recently also seen standing in for TNC Predator at the DOTA Summit 13: SEA, where they secured the fourth podium.
Kuku had also joined the Filipino Team Omega Esports as a coach at the beginning of November 2020, but that stint seems to have been short-lived as they released their Dota 2 roster at the end of that month.
T1, after several changes to their roster, is set to return to the competitive scene after nearly three months but still with stand-ins. They last participated at ESL One Thailand: Asia in September, where they could only reach the 5th-6th place. At the BTS Pro Series S4, they are set to compete with a completely revamped roster as none of the players from the ESL One Thailand showing is going to play in this tourney. Sam_H and Poloson are the only ones who stay in the team, but they have been sidelined for the tournament.
Image Via LiquipediaThough this change does not necessarily look to be a permanent one, T1 might be testing Kuku and Whitemon in their respective roles. This speculation also gains a lot of substance from the fact that Poloson had been removed from the T1 roster, according to the Dota 2 Majors and Minors Registration page back in October 2020. Since then, the player has not been added back to the squad. So, in all likelihood, if T1 delivers a solid series of performance at BTS Pro Series S4, we might witness Whitemon and Kuku getting permanently recruited by the T1 roster.
RELATED: inYourdreaM And Poloson Leave T1 As Per Official Valve Registration Page
T1’s Roster that competes at BTS Pro Series S4:
- Souliya "JaCkky" Khoomphetsavong
- Karl “Karl” Jayme
- Carlo "Kuku" Palad (stand-in)
- Kenny "Xepher" Deo
- Matthew "Whitemon" Filemon (stand-in)
The inclusions of Karl, JaCkky, and Xepher over time and now Whitemon and Kuku’s addition visibly put the roster of T1 at a very superior place in the tournament. With the mentorship of head coach March, T1 can arguably be attributed as one of the favourites to win the BTS Pro Series S4.
