RLCS X Team Of The Week: Sippin’ Ice Cubes

Every week, GGRecon highlights one team performing well in the past week, and gives context to their performance. This week, we look at the history, recent results, and expectations of Sippin’ Ice Cubes.

Sippin’ Ice Cubes are the team of the week, but not because they won it all. Actually, they have yet to place within the top ten. But their origins and quick rise to the RLCS tells an interesting story. Luccas "Luke" Oyarce, Carson "Forky" Howard, and David "Mile" Moreau all found their fame in different ways, but as a team, they have the potential to take RLCS teams by surprise.

History

Luke, Forky, and Mile teamed up to compete in the RLCS X Winter Split as a rookie team, but one player has been on the RLCS stage before. Luke got his RLCS debut with Omelette, after a breakthrough performance at the Beyond The Summit: Summer Shuffle. He had been able to hold his own in the Rival Series before, but RLCS X gave him the chances to dream big. Eventually, Omelette got the recognition they deserved when Ghost Gaming acquired the roster.

Ghost’s results weren’t what they had hoped for, and when it was time for roster changes, Luke lost his spot on the team. Now he was free to explore other options. Luke explains: “We came together because I was originally trying things out with Sukhpartik "kinseh" Kahlon, and two of our options were Forky and Mile. Kinseh decided he wanted to take a break from Rocket League, as he was no longer feeling the same enjoyment, and so I went looking for a team again, eventually looking for a third with Forky, and then picking up Mile since he was already on my radar.”

Forky and Mile are well-known 1v1 players, dominating in showmatches and on the ranked leaderboards. Forky has a big fanbase that supports him through everything, also when he’s trying to make it into the RLCS. This wasn’t his first try. Before Sippin’ Ice Cubes, he’s been trying to qualify for RLCS with the mustyteers, alongside Wyatt "amustycow" and Treyven "Lethamyr" Robitaille. This team of content creators didn’t manage to make it through the qualifiers, so this is the first time we’re seeing Forky on an RLCS broadcast.

Mile was previously the substitute for G2 Esports, so technically, he already has some RLCS experience. In the Fusion tournament earlier this year, G2 brought Mile to play the 1v1 games. Does Mile think his role for G2 helped him with getting started in the pro scene? “When I played for G2 in Fusion, they were very supportive of me playing in all aspects of the game and not just 1v1s. I scrimmed with them against Envy, and we won a few games. I realized that maybe I could have a future in Rocket League that is more than just 1v1s. Playing for G2 in Fusion and being their substitute opened my eyes to the 3v3 scene and gave me confidence in knowing it’s possible for me. G2 helped me mentally prepare to possibly become a top player in the RLCS.”

Recent Results

Even though Sippin’ Ice Cubes qualified for the first Regional Event of the Winter Split, they didn’t win any series during the event. That’s probably why they surprised everyone even more when they won their matches versus XSET and the Pittsburgh Knights. A few good results can keep their spirits high, and motivate them to reach even higher. Luke says playing with Forky and Mile is good fun. “The team honestly has really good vibes, and whenever we play scrims or some tournament games, we just have a laugh. To be sincere, we don't play much outside of RLCS scrims or tournaments, but when we do, it's always a good time.”

Mile shows that he has a lot to bring to the 3v3 arena too. “A high-level 1v1 player brings something to a team that can be scary. When the other teams know who you are and what you are capable of in a 1v1 environment, they think differently when they see you with the ball. In EU, there are a lot more top 1v1 players who are also pro players, who happen to be some of the best players in the region. I think a 1v1 player like myself being on a 3v3 roster could bring doubt to other team when they think about my capabilities, and when you doubt yourself, chances are that you will play worse.”

Expectations

Talents from the 1v1 scene can do a lot of damage in the RLCS. Mile has been focussing on 3v3 much more, lately. He says that recently, he hasn’t really been interested in 1v1s at all. “I would like to play 1v1 if the opportunity came up and seemed interesting, but 3v3 has been my main focus. I have been watching a lot of 3v3 replays, studying play styles and watching different players closely, in an attempt to fully understand everything about 3v3. I have barely been playing 1v1, and I think it’s the reason for my success. Getting rid of the bad habits from 1v1s has made me a really good 3s player. Honestly, I don’t even know if I am still good in a 1v1 environment, because I have barely played 1v1 recently. But I am glad to finally stop being known as a 1v1 main and more as a player capable of being good in all aspects.”

Luke thinks that this team can be one of those teams that are regarded as sleeper teams. “Both Forky and Mile came up in the 1v1 scene and established their names due to their rise in 1v1, appearing on Johnnyboi_i's streams and other major 1v1 tournaments. This means that they already have a strong mechanical and creative edge, but just need that extra push to understand and excel in a 3s environment. With our performance in the second Regional of the Winter Split, I think it showed other teams that when we were playing our game, we had the chance to break into the scene. Only time will tell how far we will be able to get, but I think if we continue on this path of improvement, and maybe get some help along the way, via a coach for example, I think we can definitely surprise many teams and get good results.”

Images via RGB Esports, G2 Esports and Mirage Esports