AP Bren’s substitute EXP Laner Vincent “Pando” Unigo (also known as Pandora) has always been behind the squad’s back but rarely appears on the big stage. Despite having less play time in tournaments, Pando has shown to the fans time and time again that he is more than ready to compete at a moment’s notice.
During the fifth week of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Philippines (MPL PH) Season 13 regular season, AP Bren let its trusty 6th man take centerstage against TNC Pro Team. This match showcased Pando’s unyielding performance, closing the series with a clean sweep and a Game 1 MVP award.
Through a post-match press conference, it was revealed that AP Bren’s 6th man is more than just a substitute player who gets benched most of the time.
Pando is a key talent for AP Bren behind the scenes
Coach Ducky elaborated on what contributions Pando had made to the team’s success.
“Our team wouldn’t be complete without a 6th man… just to expound on exactly what a 6th man does, it’s basically there as a sub analyst,” Ducky stated. “If I need assistance on how to assess the performance in the EXP Lane, I would have him [Pando] look at the game and he’ll give his opinions to me.”
AP Bren’s head coach further added that Pando’s insights as a 6th man are quite handy as he claims not a lot of substitute players can do the same.
“There are players that don’t do that [analyze games]. They’re there just to be pure players, they cannot do any retrospection and stuff,” he expressed.
Coach Ducky also shared his thoughts on how other teams should pick a 6th man for their roster. According to him, Pando, as a substitute player, is also fun to hang out with, adding a crucial dimension of camaraderie and team spirit both on and off the stage.
“If you want to have a 6th man and stuff, aside from being good, they need to have good vibes [with the team],” he explained.
AP Bren’s Mid Laner Angelo “Pheww” Arcangel also shared how Pando never complained of being benched all the time. Instead, the 6th man remained supportive and dedicated to the team’s success, always ready to step in whenever needed.
“He’s still good despite multiple seasons of not playing, he also doesn’t distance himself to us and he never feels down when he can’t play or decides to join another team. He really wants us to win as a team,” he expressed.
Pando rarely played last year despite the team having a packed tournament schedule. According to Ducky, there was not enough time to integrate Pando into the team while also preparing for other aspects.
“Just to clear it out, the time when Pando couldn’t play last year, it’s because there was SIBOL, we had to have that complete chemistry wherever we went. Now, if I insert him, there might be problems that would suddenly show up and we won’t be able to come up with solutions immediately. So I explained to Pandora that he really can’t play,” he explained.
From Pando’s perspective, his contribution to AP Bren goes beyond mere gameplay. According to him, he tries to be that one friend that everyone can share their struggles with.
“In times of struggle, I aim to uplift their spirits and provide a listening ear whenever needed. It’s this bond that strengthens us as a team,” Pando shared.
Pando’s debut game in the fifth week of the MPL PH Season 13 led AP Bren to securing a highly-coveted Playoffs slot. However, the regular season is far from over as the team is set to face Minana EVOS on 21st April at 9:00 PM (PHT).
