Fresh from their decisive 2–0 victory against FURIA in the
VALORANT VCT Americas Stage 2, G2
Alexander "jawgemo" Mor sat down with Sheep Esports to discuss his current form, how the team has adapted in the absence of star player Nathan
"leaf" Orf and how they have integrated Andrej
"BABYBAY" Francisty as a stand-in. Having already secured their place at
VALORANT Champions 2025 in Paris, jawgemo opened up about his continued high performance since winning the 2023 title with Evil Geniuses, the resilience within the G2 roster and his preparation routines for the biggest stages.
What is your overall feeling after this 2–0 victory against FURIA, both individually and as a team?
Alexander "jawgemo" Mor: "Individually, I’d say I’m not as sick anymore. I was sick for the first few weeks of this split, so I’m still kind of sick, I still have some coughs. But I’m glad I’m starting to actually play with a clear mind instead of being sick, so that’s pretty good. Team-wise, it’s a little weird because for the four of us playing without leaf, we’ve been focusing on improving certain things and trying to be better. Then, with BABYBAY or leaf, whoever comes back in, they just add on their strengths and we keep moving forward. As the four of us, we’re making sure we don’t lose sight of what we knew and had before with leaf. We’re trying to be as strong as we can and wait for him to come back for Champions, of course.
We saw Sage and Waylay picked over Neon and Chamber on Corrode. What was the plan behind those choices, and how did they help you beat FURIA 13–2?
jawgemo: Waylay plays at a fast pace, but there’s also a lot of Sentinel utility like Cypher traps that can stop a Neon. Waylay kind of gets through all of that and plays a little faster than Neon. Once you’re hitting, that’s your time to go, because you only have one dash and go back, that’s it. Sage slows things down like slowing the Neon or the people trying to trade the Neon. For example, you Sage-slow the Neon, and now they’re stuck alone on A site. Then it’s a 1v2 or something similar, and it’s easier to take duels like that. I think Sage brings that value for sure.
How did you manage to handle leaf’s absence while still maintaining such a high level of performance despite such a major change?
jawgemo: It was kind of hard when we were trying to find a fifth after EWC. We brought BABYBAY in and he brought the energy we were missing standing up, getting hyped, making jokes. Some of us were lacking that, and now we’ve got it back. For me, it reminded me of how I used to be always hyped, happy. Now it’s reflecting on stage for all of us. If someone’s sick, like JonahP (Jonah Pulice) is right now, we bring him back up. He wasn’t having his best game today, but we know he carried us in the last two games when I wasn’t feeling well. It’s back-and-forth like that. Our team relationship and the environment we have which Josh, our coach, always preaches is strong. We’re all happy and ready to play every time.
With BABYBAY stepping in, bringing a different style and energy, how did you find the balance between his strengths and the team’s existing system?
jawgemo: BABYBAY is definitely a smart player. He was a pro first, then a caster. Back on his early days, he played super aggressively, but we’ve tamed him a bit. Now he knows when to activate because he’s watched so many games, he knows where to fill in. We help him by telling him when to speed up or when to take his chances, take fights. That makes him more comfortable because he doesn’t want to mess up. When your team has confidence in you, like we do with him, it helps a lot. He’s always good for the shot as well. Honestly, he’s our favorite stand-in for sure.
What have you learned about G2’s resilience or mental strength during this adjustment period?
jawgemo: After we lost to Sentinels, we looked back and realized we weren’t that far behind. They were having a bad day, then came back and beat us. That loss was a wake-up call. We said to ourselves, “We can’t be down on ourselves. We can’t feel bad.” Even with that loss, we talked after the game it wasn’t a bad loss. We lost 13–11. It didn’t even feel like we lost. It was just an unlucky day. We brushed it off and kept building. If something bad happens, like a crazy round from the opponent, we just say, “Whatever, good for them,” and move on. We’ve learned to always stay on top of each other, make sure we’re doing the right things, and keep hyping each other up.
You’re already qualified for Champions 2025 in Paris. How do you keep the team competitive and focused for the rest of the season?
jawgemo: Even with four players, we’ve said to ourselves after Esports World Cup that we just have to work on each other right now. Obviously, we have another goal to win the trophy in the Americas. Even with four, we’re still a top-two team alongside Sentinels. With leaf back, we’re number one. Even with BABYBAY, we could be number one. That keeps our motivation high. We know we can beat almost any team in the Americas region. We want to establish dominance here, then go to Champs and play those matches the ones that really count. In Bangkok we were close, in Toronto we finished fourth. I told the guys it reminds me of my Evil Geniuses run in 2023, fourth place then you get to Champs grand finals. That’s our goal. I love playing in grand finals. I thrive under pressure, and I want the guys to experience that too.
Since winning Champions with Evil Geniuses in 2023, how have you kept such a consistently high level in your duelist role?
jawgemo: It’s hard. People online sometimes say I’m not a good duelist. I don’t care about stats, I care about setting my teammates up for success. I want my initiator or my controller to win clutches. I’m making sure my comms are right, my ideas are clear, and the team is in the best position. I’m happy to do the dirty work. Seeing my teammates clutch after I set them up that’s my reward. That’s how I stay consistent. I’ve seen other duelists care too much about numbers, but for me, it’s about winning rounds and trusting my guys.
Photo by Stefan Wisnoski/Riot Games
Do you have any specific pre-game routines or rituals before officials?
jawgemo: Wake up and take my shower, I chug a water bottle, then I don’t play until about ten minutes before the match. I go into the range with whichever agent I’m playing Waylay, Jett, Neon, Raze and practice utility and mechanics. Shooting is important, but movement wins fights. I also like to troll a bit and keep things light. If the guys see me laughing, they know it’s one of those days where I’m going to take us home.
What are you most looking forward to at Champions in Paris, competitively and personally?
jawgemo: I visit Paris last year for the VCT OFF SEASON Spotlight Series 2024 EMEA and made the grand final. This time my girlfriend can come, so I’ll get to show her around, like visiting the Arc de Triomphe. The food is going to be the first priority making sure it’s good. Then it’s about building a routine, like I did for Champs in Los Angeles. In LA I had my cat in the hotel, which was amazing. In Paris, I’ll go out more, maybe have a croissant every day. I’m ready for that !"
Header Photo Credit: Stefan Wisnoski/Riot Games
