"PatMen is a better player now than he was for PRX " - PRX's Alecks on PatMen and why the lower bracket is their happy place
Paper Rex are back! After a hard-fought, three-map victory over T1 in the lower bracket semifinals of VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Pacific Stage 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, PRX have punched their ticket to VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Masters London 2026, and set up a blockbuster lower bracket final against Global Esports.
Head coach Alex "alecks" Salle spoke to THESPIKE after the win, reflecting on a match that tested his team's composure, communication, and resilience in equal measure, and looking ahead to the rematch that could define their entire Pacific campaign.
Coming Home to Southeast Asia
There was an ease about alecks in the post-match interview, the kind that comes not just from winning a high-stakes playoff match, but from simply being somewhere familiar. Speaking after the T1 series, the Paper Rex head coach admitted he hadn't been back to Southeast Asia in roughly four months, not since VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Masters Santiago 2026 earlier this year.
"I open Grab Food and I look at the food, I'm like, I'm so happy," he said with a grin. "The weather—I know everyone thinks it's hot, but for me, it's like, oh my God, this is home."
The setting mattered. Ho Chi Minh City's crowd brought an energy that alecks described as reminiscent of old-school LANs—loud, electric, and at times disorienting. For professional teams that thrive on communication, that presented an immediate challenge in the opening map.
A Three-Map War
The series against T1 was anything but clean. Paper Rex took Map 1 on Split, but not before alecks had to step in repeatedly to settle his players. The noise from the crowd made it difficult for the team to find their rhythm early, and T1 exploited that with aggressive, fast-paced play.
"I paused a few times to help them bounce back. They kind of figured out after that what to do. So Split was nice."
Ascent, however, was a different story. PRX departed from their defensive game plan, and alecks made no secret of his frustration. The map slipped away despite a fighting second half, and with it came the kind of in-match tension that tests a coaching staff's composure. In the end, the series came down to Breeze—a map Paper Rex had specifically prepared for, convinced T1 would select it first in the veto.
_1747477916763.png&w=3840&q=75 "Paper Rex")
_1747477916763.png&w=48&q=75 "Paper Rex")
BuZz
_1747477916763.png&w=96&q=75 "Paper Rex")
something
invy
Jinggg
d4v41
f0rsakeNOn defense, PRX got a little too comfortable a little too early. With the match seemingly in hand, players began pressing for individual plays rather than executing the structure that had built the lead. Alecks talked to star player and IGL f0rsaken aside during a pause, and the reset proved pivotal.
"I think Jason was trying really hard. So we reset that. He had a good idea to use the Judge. He got like three kills, and after that he was leading it."
The Method Behind the Madness
One of the most fascinating elements of alecks' coaching style is the tension between his well-documented outbursts during matches—which fans love to see—and his remarkably measured approach during timeouts. He laughed off the idea that his pauses bring him to "zero" in terms of composure. But in his own words, he never goes to down to zero, but instead hovers somewhere around 60% anger. But the deliberateness with which he uses those moments is clear.
"It depends on what the team needs at that moment. Sometimes they need reassurance. Sometimes they need a kick in the backside. Sometimes they're just panicking, so they just need something to listen to."
The technical discussion during timeouts, he explained, is handled quickly in partnership with assistant coach Ashton "Wendler" Wendler. The bulk of the time is reserved not for X's and O's, but for mentality. "Most of the time, it's about mentality," alecks said. It is a philosophy that reflects a deep understanding of what separates tournament-hardened teams from those that crumble under pressure.
Back-to-Back Masters and the Lower Bracket Comfort Zone
With the T1 win secured, Paper Rex have now locked in consecutive appearances on the international stage with back-to-back Masters qualifications that alecks described with satisfaction. The road here, though, was anything but smooth. PRX came out of their group as the first seed, only to be run over by Global Esports. The loss dropped them into the lower bracket to begin with.
"We are quite comfortable [in the lower bracket]. Back against the wall, we kind of play our best VALORANT."
That lower bracket run has become something of a Paper Rex trademark. But the next test is the stiffest one yet.
The Global Esports Rematch
Paper Rex now face Global Esports once again in the lower bracket finals. Alecks is direct about his motivation: he wants to beat them, and he believes PRX will be sharper this time around.
"We usually beat them, but we lost the most recent one, the most important one. I think this time we will show a way better performance across all five maps if we have to play it."
Another subplot woven into current-day PRX vs. GE matchups is that Patrick "PatMen" Mendoza, a former PRX player and Masters winner with the team personally signed by alecks, is now one of GE's key performers. Alecks spoke candidly about his former player's growth and the role Paper Rex inadvertently played in limiting it.
"He's a better player now than he was for PRX, easily, by far. But I also think that we were holding him back. The Initiator player for PRX tends to be pulled apart because everybody wants to do something… Whereas on GE, he's allowed to play to his true ability."
GE head coach Hector "FrosT" Rosario, for his part, had called Paper Rex "probably the best team in the world"—a compliment that alecks deflected with honesty.
"He's putting pressure on me. I don't think we're the best. I think we're close at our peak."
For alecks, the benchmark for that title requires something more sustained: an era, not just a run. He pointed to Fnatic's back-to-back LOCK//IN and Masters wins back in 2023 as the kind of consistency that earns that label.
Eyes on London
With a spot at Masters London already in hand, alecks has already begun his preparation. He is not the type to wait for the bracket to close before getting to work.
"Now that I've qualified, I start today. I'll do a little bit every day, so I will be ready regardless.”
For a team that has been playing in tournaments since Santiago with barely a break in between, the week's gap between Pacific and American schedules heading into London may prove to be a gift. As for whether it disadvantages VCT Americas teams? Alecks was blunt: "For Americas, sorry man. We are resting."
The lower bracket final against Global Esports stands between Paper Rex and a Pacific championship. If their performance against T1 is anything to go by, the back-against-the-wall version of PRX may be the most dangerous one yet.
Watch the full interview below:
For all things VCT-related, make sure to stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG as we continue to update you with the freshest game and esports news.
Featured Image Exclusive to THESPIKE.GG
Latest News
- Paper Rex secure their ticket to Masters London after thriller against T1 The three teams representing the Pacific region at Masters London will be Global Esports, FULL SENSE, and Paper Rex.
1 day ago - All teams qualified for VALORANT Masters London 2026 (Updated)Here is the list of teams that have earned their spot at the upcoming Masters London.
1 day ago - Fnatic bench Milan as Desmo takes over as head coach for EWC qualifiersAfter bombing out of Stage 1, Fnatic has made its first roster move with head coach Milan stepping aside.
2 days ago
Comments
vct 2023
For all information about the VCT 2023, check out our VCT Hub. There you will find our FAQ to answer all of your questions and details about the teams, different Leagues, and more.