MANILA -- Omega Esports and RSG Philippines will gun for back-to-back titles for the Philippines in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup from Friday at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur. 

Omega Esports, whose roster secured the championship and the title “Kings of SEA” under the Execration banner last year, will try to defend their throne, while PH champions RSG Philippines seek greater heights as they pursue the MSC title. 

The top two teams will enter the playoffs which will commence on March 14, and have a twice-to-beat advantage. The last-placed teams per group, meanwhile, will be eliminated from the competition. The finals will be held on June 19, where the champion team will take home the lion’s share of a $300,000 (P15 million) prize pool. 

Here's a look at the competing teams: 

OMEGA ESPORTS

• Renz Errol "Renzio" Cadua
• Dean Christian "Raizen" Sumagui
• Billy Jazha "Z4pnu" Alfonso
• Patrick James "E2MAX" Caidic
• Grant Duane "Kelra" Pillas
• Joshua "Ch4knu" Mangilog

Head coach: Jomie "Pakbet" Abalos

All eyes are on reigning MSC champs Omega Esports, who will seek to defend the crown they earned while the roster was still with Execration. 

The lineup will be made up of the main Execration core, save for Kiel “KielVJ” Cruzem, who was among the key cogs that led Execration to the grand finals of the tilt, and eventually secured the title over reigning world champs Blacklist International, earning the title “Kings of SEA” in the process. 

They will face Thailand’s IDoNotSleep to open Day 2 of the group stages. They will next face Indonesian rivals RRQ Hoshi at around 6 p.m. for their last group stage match. 

 RSG PHILIPPINES 

• Nathanael "Nathzz" Estrologo
• Jonard Cedrix "Demonkite" Caranto
• Arvie C. "Aqua" Antonio
• Eman "EMANN" Sangco
• Dylan Aaron "Light" Catipon
• Dexter "Exort" Martinez

Head coach: Karl “Giee” Barrientos, Brian "Panda" Lim (remote) 

Following a dominant MPL - Philippines Season 9 campaign, Filipino champions RSG Philippines, now have their sights on winning the title in MSC. 

RSG will be fielding in the main five that won the local title last April, with Exort providing the team with veteran presence. 

Coach Brian “Panda” Lim, who steered ArkAngel to a 3rd place finish in MSC, will be coaching the team remotely as he prepares for MPL Season 10. Assistant coach Karl “Giee” Barrientos will assume his place in Kuala Lumpur. 

RSG PH will open their campaign in MSC from 1:30 p.m. on Friday with a match against Cambodia’s SeeYouSoon in a best-of-2 series, on a running schedule. 

They will battle their sister team, RSG Singapore, at approximately 7:30 p.m.