"I don't want them to play a map they get to prep against us" — The mind games behind FULL SENSE's upper bracket win

FULL SENSE have booked their place in the VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Pacific Stage 1 Grand Finals after defeating Global Esports in the Upper Bracket Final. Speaking to THESPIKE following the win, IGL Thanamethk "Crws" Mahatthananuyut opened up on his tactical approach against his former mentor, the role of star player Papaphat "Primmie" Sriprapha, his coaching background, and the ongoing Neon debate rocking the pro scene.

Split: Weakness as a Weapon

One of the match's most talked-about moments was FULL SENSE's decision to pick Split—a map that raised eyebrows, especially with some visible struggles in mid. Crws, however, was unapologetic. The choice was entirely deliberate, designed to pull Global Esports, specifically their coach Hector "FrosT" Rosario, out of their comfort zone.

"It's definitely one of the maps we are kind of weak on, but the only reason why we picked it is because Global wouldn't expect it. So we kind of picked our weaker maps against them because I don't want them to play a map they get to prep against us."

With only two to three days to build their composition for Split, Crws acknowledged that the rough edges were a product of limited preparation time. Despite that, FULL SENSE held their nerve and closed out the map, confirming it as a calculated gamble that paid off.

VALORANT Champions Tour 2026 - Pacific Stage 1

Global Esports

0

X

2

FULL SENSE

Upper Bracket Final, Best of 3 - May 15, 2026 - 10:00AM

11

Split

13

8

Breeze

13

Global Esports

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

autumn

1.04

217

37/33/4

+4

1.12

68.8%

144.5

33%

54%

7

6

PatMen

1.03

225

35/37/9

-2

0.95

59.8%

156.3

38%

46%

6

7

Kr1stal

0.73

158

22/35/13

-13

0.63

63.7%

120.0

26%

100%

2

0

xavi8k

0.63

133

20/34/12

-14

0.59

73.2%

89.0

20%

44%

4

5

UdoTan

0.62

145

22/38/6

-16

0.58

62.2%

105.1

20%

45%

5

6

FULL SENSE

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

Primmie

1.51

300

49/32/11

+17

1.53

73.8%

179.8

30%

56%

10

8

Killua

1.13

207

33/26/18

+7

1.27

80.7%

134.2

40%

50%

3

3

JitBoyS

1.09

222

37/27/9

+10

1.37

83.9%

145.8

20%

40%

4

6

Leviathan

1.09

198

33/27/17

+6

1.22

75.9%

134.1

39%

50%

2

2

Crws

0.73

159

24/24/10

0

1.00

82.1%

107.6

20%

43%

3

4

Primmie Steps Up

While the strategy was Crws' brainchild, the execution leaned heavily on the performances of his teammates, but none more so than Primmie, whose performance in the match drew widespread praise. Crws was full of admiration for his teammate, keeping his words simple but heartfelt.

"That kid's amazing. We all love him. Thanks for the carry. I think he just played amazing, as always."

While brief, it’s a reflection of the team’s chemistry and trust that they have amongst each other when the stakes are at their highest.

Coaching Background Coming in Clutch

Crws' journey to becoming one of Pacific's most respected IGLs is an unconventional one. He played under FrosT, stepped into a coaching role, and then returned to the server. That full-circle experience, he says, is exactly what makes him such an effective leader today.

"I think the fact that I had the chance to be with FrosT, learn a lot from him, become a coach myself, I see the loopholes. I see the things that I could do much better if I was in-game as an IGL. It also helped me read the game well, because now I see the perspective of the players."

That dual perspective of player and coach allows Crws to function as what he calls a "mini-coach in the server," making mid-round adjustments and reading timeouts with a clarity most IGLs develop over years of trial and error.

Weighing In on the Neon Nerf

The interview also touched on the recent Neon nerf, a hot topic across the professional VALORANT scene. Crws was firm in his assessment: the nerf went too far in the wrong direction, and the real problem was never Neon herself.

"I think it's too much. I think it's kind of true; Neon loses her identity. The fact that you can run, slide [and] shoot straight with a Judge and a Bucky and a Vandal—I think that's crazy. If it was that overpowered, there should be more Sentinels being picked in certain comps. But most you see is two."

On the shotgun nerfs that accompanied the patch, Crws was more receptive, saying the accuracy and shotgun changes were "perfectly fine," but warned that the slide-and-shoot mechanic still needed to be addressed or Neon would simply vanish from the meta entirely. For Sentinels, Crws believes the current roster is fairly balanced, with Vyse and Cypher suiting FULL SENSE's playstyle best.

One Final Goal

With the Grand Finals confirmed, Crws was asked who he wanted to face across the server. Without hesitation, he gave his answer: Global Esports. And when pushed on whether he'd love to lift the trophy in the face of his former IGL Frost—the man he had managed to tactically outsmart—Crws' reply was as cool as it was pointed.

"Yeah."

A single word that says everything about where FULL SENSE's IGL is right now—focused, motivated, and with unfinished business to settle on the biggest stage of the Pacific season.

Watch the full interview below:

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