Former The Guard and NRG duelist, Ian “tex” Botsch, has made a surprising decision to join South American team Leviatán. This unexpected move comes after tex’s successful stint with The Guard, where he showcased his skills as a duelist. Despite his experience in American teams, tex is now venturing into the South American VALORANT scene, adding an intriguing twist to the upcoming season.
Tex’s arrival at Leviatán marks their second duelist acquisition this offseason, following the signing of VCT Americas MVP Erick “aspas” Santos just four days prior. This duo brings a formidable combination of firepower to the team, although it remains to be seen how their roles will be defined, given their similar playstyles.
Tex’s journey to Leviatán is an interesting one. He honed his skills on NRG, primarily known for his consistent performances as Jett and Chamber. While he didn’t achieve any notable highs during his time with NRG, tex found success when he joined The Guard as a replacement for their star duelist, Ha “Sayaplayer” Jung-woo, who was picked up by T1.
Tex seamlessly integrated into The Guard’s lineup and played a crucial role in their impressive run in the Ascension Americas tournament. He led the tournament in first kills per round and tied for first in kills per round alongside his teammate, Trent “trent” Cairns. Tex’s exceptional duelist play contributed significantly to The Guard’s success.
Now, tex faces a new challenge in joining Leviatán. While it may seem like a risk to switch regions, we have seen similar moves in the past, albeit mostly in the opposite direction. Sentinels, for example, brought two LOUD players onto their team last offseason, combining them with North American and Canadian talent. Tex’s move to Leviatán adds an element of excitement to the VCT Americas scene, as we await to see how this new roster will perform.
The flexibility that tex brings to the team could result in various strategies and compositions for Leviatán. Whether he will play alongside aspas as a double duelist or take on different roles such as KAY/O or Chamber remains to be seen. Regardless, if this report holds true, we can anticipate an intriguing and promising team emerging in VCT Americas.
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Source: DOTESPORTS
