The second stage of the League of Legends Demacia Cup is underway. In the last match day, Group A’s EDG clashed with NIP in a tough three-game series, with EDG clinching the win 2-1. While the BO3 lacked major excitement, ZDZ’s in-game display gained strong audience approval. His approach is very similar to TheShy’s: impulsive and ready to fight at any moment, showing great strength against less competitive teams.

In the decider, the jungler who fell behind 1-6 managed to rally impressively in the late game. In the final two team fights, he moved like a wild dragon, turning a 1-6 start into a 5-7 finish. Using the worst stats, he delivered the most spectacular plays, mirroring TheShy perfectly. The second BO3 was an all-Chinese roster showdown between JDG and WBG. JDG brought in CFO to partner with Gazi in the mid-jungle duo during the transfer window, raising high expectations for this Taiwanese mid-jungle combo.

The first game was evenly matched, going deep into the late game. WBG held only a 5K gold lead. In a crucial team fight, Xiao Xu made a critical mistake, gifting a big advantage to the opponent. The top laner died in the dragon soul fight, forcing JDG to concede the dragon, which directly led to their base being destroyed. In the second game, JDG put full effort early, securing two dragons and maintaining a steady lead in their carry’s development. With solid management, JDG easily won to even the series.

The deciding game was played in blind pick mode, with both junglers selecting Jayce. Both bot lanes fielded the same duo of Yoon and Neeko. JDG’s bot lane struggled early, constantly losing trades. ELK dominated Gala, and at 9 minutes, the lane swap to top saw Gazi killed outright. If it were just a support mismatch, being killed in lane might be understandable, but Vampire’s Neeko completely outclassed Erha’s, which was quite surprising.

By mid-game, Jiejie began to shine, excelling in team fights with constant poke and cleanup. After a grueling 29-minute battle, WBG defeated JDG. Jiejie earned MVP for two consecutive games. It’s hard to imagine this is the same jungler IG once discarded. Aside from the support, JDG’s other four players were thoroughly outperformed. JunJia’s Jayce started 2-0 quietly, HongQ’s Kassadin also had a quiet 2-0 start, and Gazi’s performance was even less noticeable.

Perhaps expectations for the young players were too high. Apart from Yone’s impact in the second game, HongQ was completely dominated by Xiaohu in both laning and team fights in the other two games. The 27-year-old veteran absolutely crushed the 18-year-old rookie. Winter hasn’t ended, but it seems Xiaohu’s spring has already arrived. Even in the lost game, Xiaohu’s performance was superior to HongQ’s—truly showing that age brings wisdom.

This match exposed several issues for JDG: the top lane tends to give too many chances, and the double carry setup can sometimes be invisible. However, Vampire’s performance was unexpectedly strong and stable, making him the best player in the squad. For WBG, the synergy between mid and jungle is outstanding, with Xiaohu and Jiejie’s teamwork exceeding expectations. Still, their bot lane has discipline problems, with Erha being even less disciplined than ELK.

However, the Demacia Cup is just a warm-up. Both teams fielded their full starting lineups to accelerate team cohesion. If they fix the problems revealed, their strength should improve. After facing WBG, JDG has another tough match against BLG. With BLG missing a mid laner, their power is weakened. It remains uncertain whether JDG can secure a win. Failing that, their chances of advancing are slim.

Conclusion:

Tabe’s ability to coach players is indeed impressive. JDG has only played one game so far and still has room for improvement. Regarding champion picks, there is room for optimization. HongQ’s Kassadin is quite similar to Xiaonaiyou’s—lacking lane pressure, minimal damage in team fights, and unable to unleash impactful ultimates. If it doesn’t work out, it’s better not to pick such champions.

So, what do you think is the highest potential for JDG?

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