In a display of unwavering consistency and an insatiable hunger for victory, Indonesia has etched its name into the annals of esports history, achieving the seemingly impossible: emerging as the first team from the Southeast Asia region to triumph in the fiercely contested Red Bull Campus Clutch 2023 held in Turkey. Within this resounding victory, two rising Indonesian talents, Bryan “Kush” Carlos and Thomas “Cud” Alfiantino, have firmly cemented their status as the standout performers for the triumphant squad.
The Campus Clutch 2023, Red Bull’s third esports tournament series with Valorant at its epicenter, stands as a global battleground exclusively reserved for university students actively engaged in the competitive Valorant scene. Notably, for the second time running, Indonesia proudly represented the SEA region in this prestigious competition.
Shouldering the banner alongside Kush and Cud, the Jakarta-based Garuda team—comprising Rivaldy “valdyn1” Nafian, Davin “gotten,” and Rayvaldo “ray4c” Chandra—successfully vanquished formidable opponents from Germany, Pakistan, Czechoslovakia, and Peru, securing their first-ever title. Impressively, the latter two emerged as the darlings of the tournament, showcasing their prowess against a field brimming with talented up-and-comers.
Adopting an assertive and unpredictable gameplay style, Kush and Cud propelled their squad to the grand finals at Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena on November 25. There, they exhibited commendable mental fortitude in the face of Zen Esports, a team that had also turned heads throughout the competition. Garuda asserted dominance in the initial two maps of the best-of-five Grand Final, concluding with scores of 13-7 and 13-5.
Although the Peruvian adversaries rallied to secure a 13-8 victory in the third map, their efforts proved futile as the Indonesian obliterated them with a commanding 13-4 triumph in the final map.
The duo’s stellar contributions did not escape the discerning eyes of spectators and seasoned pundits, who lauded their adept game control. This acclaim is underscored by statistical analyses on VLR GG, where Kush proudly claimed the fourth position within the competition’s top 5, sharing the spotlight with fan-favorites such as Emir “Alfajer” Beder, Logan “Logan” Coffey, and Mustafa “shooterR” Kamal. Kush showcased remarkable agent versatility, boasting an impressive Average Combat Score of 251.6.
On the other hand, Cud, celebrated as a wonderkid in the competitive Valorant landscape in Indonesia, secured the 18th spot in the top 20 rankings with an ACS of 225.6. As a duelist, he further solidified his standing by clinching the eighth position among the top 10 Jett users in the tournament.
Following their outstanding Garuda team performance, both players are expected to attract lucrative offers from big esports organizations, especially with the upcoming competitive season on the horizon. Presently, Kush remains a pivotal player for the Alter Ego team, while Cud stands at the crossroads, yet to decide his next esports venture after playing with Boom Esports and Dominatus this year.
