Giants Gaming qualified for the spring split of the European League of Legends Championship Series on Thursday by defeating Schalke 04 3-2 in the promotional tournament.
Giants and Schalke, who have built an emerging rivalry, met in the winners final of the promotional tournament after both teams — the representatives of the Challenger Series — beat Ninjas in Pyjamas and Mysterious Monkeys, respectively, in the first round of the double-elimination tournament.
After being relegated in the spring split, Giants earned its way back with a top-two finish in the Challenger Series summer split. Giants went 4-1 in the Challenger Series, its lone loss coming against Schalke. In the promotional tournament, Giants handily defeated NiP 3-1, setting up another match with Schalke. The match came down to the wire in a full five-game series, as Giants bested Schalke to be the first team to qualify for the 2018 EU LCS spring split.
After its relegation, Giants went through a massive rebuild, parting ways with its coach Son “S0NSTAR” Seung-ik and four of its players in May. Giants announced June 1 its summer split roster of Kim “Ruin” Hyeong-min, Erberk “Gilius” Demir, Daniele “Jiizuké” di Mauro, and Amadeu “Minitroupax” Carvalho to its active roster, rounding out the full roster on June 7 with the addition of Jakub “Jactroll” Skurzyński.
Schalke still has a shot to reach the EU LCS, as it will play the winner of the losers bracket match between NiP and Mysterious Monkeys.
Cover photo courtesy of Riot Games