- Hokori is rebounding from a year of failures
- The team’s new roster performs great at the South American TI11 qualifiers
- Hokori did an almost perfect run during the event
The South American Dota 2 region always has something to surprise fans, with the latest one being Hokori’s sudden qualification for The International 2022.
The Team’s Troubles Last Season
Hokori has had a difficult two years, with captain Brayan “Gardick” Cárdenas and offlaner Pablo “Vitaly” Roman sticking with the team throughout all of its highs and lows. The 2022 season was a bit gentler for the team, but Hokori still failed to qualify for a single Major and was relegated out of Division I in the Summer Tour.
This prompted the team to readjust and reconstruct its two main pillars. Hokori brought in three experienced players, ex-Gardick and Vitaly members, and trained hard throughout the summer. This eventually led the team to stumble into the lower bracket after one win.
Although this marked a significant improvement in the team’s performance, its outlook still didn’t look stellar. But despite that, the team stuck together, putting massive effort, and managed to qualify for Dota 2’s The International 11, surprising fans and players alike.
Hokori Surprises Everyone
With an impressive 9-0 run, the team dominated The International 2022: South America Qualifier. Their only hiccup was during a match against Tempest, the team that swept them and sent them to the lower bracket, due to connection issues in the lower bracket finals. However, that match was close to the beginning of the tournament, giving Hokori ample time to get back up on their feet and dominate all other opponents.
Not only did Hokori manage to bounce back to the top, but also put up quite a show in the meantime. Many of the games surpassed the 40-minute mark, including all of the ones against qualifier favorites Infamous, whom Hokori defeated 3-0 at the event’s finale.
With this win, the Peruvian organization guarantees its ticket for The International 11 and is also put into Division II for next season. Hokori will be one of three South American teams to participate in the biggest Dota 2 event of the year. Their qualification also shows just how much the SA region has improved, as it will field three organizations for a third year straight.
Hokori might once again meet Infamous and Tempest at TI11, depending on what the latter two do at the TI11 Last Chance Qualifier in Singapore. It begins on October 8 and will feature the second and third-place teams from each region fighting for the final two slots in the biggest Dota event of the year.
