Interview with Scubachris, Jungler for Denial Esports: "We need lots of luck and practice to have a shot at LCS"

Recently I sat down with Chris 'ScubaChris' Lee, the jungler for Denial Esports and sub for team Vulcun, to talk about the performance of Denial Esports and the Challenger Scene. 

Chris, your team is one of the more successful teams in the Challenger Circuit with a record of 10/3 in the MCS. With new leagues like the Mobafire Challenger Circuit, is it closing the gap between the professional scene and the Challenger scene?

ScubaChris: My team is alright. We under-performed and failed to qualify for PAX, we may have done better with a different seed. I still think the Challenger Scene stills needs more work.

 

What happened with the seeding?

ScubaChris: Well TBD qualified for PAX earlier so we didn't expect to play against them in the qualifiers, but a last minute change by Riot let them play, and we ended up losing 1-2 to them. We usually do well against TBD but Nubby was sick and he's one of our main shotcallers. Our communication and preparation was lacking, we just played poorly.

 

In the MCS your team is neck and neck in the top 3 positions with Complexity and To Be Determined. How well do you think you can play against them?

ScubaChris: There is this weird trifecta where usually, Denial>TBD>Complexity>Denial. Denial usually beats TBD, TBD beats Complexity, and Complexity beats Denial.

 

You lost to TBD at the Pax Qualifiers, and then just days later you managed to shut down their winning spree in the MCS. Was this sort of revenge game for your team, and how did you prepare for it? What's it like to be repeatedly up against a team you're so familiar with?

ScubaChris: We definitely prepared for it. Thinks like planning to first pick their comfort pick of Zyra away from them. It really sucked that we had to play against them in Pax Qualifiers, because we were really hoping to qualify. I guess you could say we got... DENIED!

Where do you see yourself in the future? Does Denial have a shot to take a spot in the LCS in Season 4?

ScubaChris: It depends on our teamwork. We really need to work on our communication, it's an area we really lack. If we had a gaming house it would improve tremendously. We need lots of luck and practice to have a shot at the LCS.

 

What are things you work on to try to become a better jungler?

ScubaChris: I've been watching OGN to see what the Koreans do. 

 

You're a sub for Vulcun, what's your relationship like with the team?

ScubaChris: They're all cool cats. I get along with the team pretty well.

 

So Chris you have to go to an internet cafe when playing online tournaments, what's the story with that?

ScubaChris: Well my house internet gets completely unplayable in the evenings. I occasionally disconnect throughout the day so I go to a lan to play. 

 

What are the top 3 junglers this patch?

ScubaChris: Lee Sin, Lee Sin, and Lee Sin.

 

What do you think of the changes to Aegis, Bulwark, and Locket?

ScubaChris: It's cheaper to get an Aegis-Locket, but it's not as effective if you're against a heavy AP team since Aegis Aura was nerfed and Innate MR was taken away. But it compensates those items with the buffed Spirit Visage / Banshee's Veil.

 

Is there a champion you wish you could play competitively but your team won't let you?

ScubaChris: Gangplank. My Gangplank is godlike. 

 

How did you get started playing League?

ScubaChris: It was a little while after League officially came out. I was playing Dota at the time and my friends introduced me to League. At first I thought it was really lame, but after a while all my friends moved to League so I started playing more, only playing Shaco at the time. 

Thanks for talking to me Chris, are there any shoutouts you'd like to make? 

Scubachris: Thanks to the homies who will get me a Hearthstone Beta Key... Hopefully... And my main squeeze Fox. You can follow me on Twitter @scubachrislol.