After losing to G2 Esports in the last match of VALORANT Champions Tour Americas Stage 2, Erick "Xeppaa" Bach provided a considered evaluation of his own performance and the team’s execution. He discusses the rationale behind Cloud9's two-sentinel strategy, and how the team can best support Francis "Oxy" Hoang's high-tempo style while maintaining structure. He outlines his deathmatch-heavy matchday routine and reflects on transitioning to the sentinel role, adopting a disciplined approach to lurking based on his Counter-Strike background.

How do you feel about your performance and the team’s performance in tonight’s matches against G2?

Erick "Xeppaa" Bach: "I’m not satisfied with my performance. It can always be better, much better. As for the team, we lost, and I think everyone agrees it wasn’t our best showing. We can clearly raise our level and bring more to the table. The biggest takeaway is that I wasn’t happy with how I played, and I doubt my teammates were either.

On Ascent, you ran a double-Sentinel composition with Deadlock and Vice. What was the thinking behind that approach in your view, and what does it offer compared with a more traditional composition?

Xeppa: It’s a comp we’ve used before and feel comfortable with. We anticipated they’d pick Ascent, we knew the likely composition they’d bring, and we prepped for it throughout. We had a clear game plan, but our execution could have been much sharper. We should have converted a few more key defensive rounds. Honestly, the half should have been at least 7–5 at a minimum, and on a perfect day, you could even imagine 10–0. We made a few small mistakes, and the goal is to learn from them and come back stronger.

Oxy is one of the standout players in VCT Americas. How do you manage such a talented player, and how do you get the most out of him for the team beyond his Duelist role?

Xeppaa: We’re fully aware of what Oxy is capable of, and we try to set him up as well as possible. You see it every match, he does his job and often goes beyond it. As a team, we need to step up and support him and the group as a whole. I’m proud of him; he’s performing at a very high level.

This season you’ve been more consistent. What have you focused on to maintain that consistency? Has anything changed in your practice or mindset that helps you stay at the top of your game?

Xeppaa: I’ve kept doing what I’ve done for the last few years. This season, we’ve emphasized being a true team, and maybe that’s helped my consistency. There’s a lot of trust placed in me, and I’m in a new role that might also be contributing. Before every official, I wake up early around 9:30. At 10, we do team stretches and some light exercise. I head back, shower, and start death-matching. I’m on my PC by 10:30. We leave for the arena around 11:45. I eat a little, nothing heavy, and keep DMing for most of that time. Once at the arena, I usually DM for another hour to an hour and a half. It’s a lot of DMing.

We often see you streaming with boundless energy. How do you maintain that same energy during practice and on stage, and how do you manage to have so much of it?

Xeppaa: It’s easier to let that energy out on stream because, at the end of the day, I’m playing the game. But not always giving a full 100% streaming is partly for entertainment. Sometimes I’m trying in ranked, but after a long day of practice, my energy can be drained. When I stream, it’s often more about relaxing, running around, and laughing than grinding every round. On stage, I can definitely be more energetic for the team. It’s been a gradual process for me; I tend to be more serious when it matters, but I’m working on bringing more energy on stage.

Confidence is huge in VALORANT. How would you describe your current confidence level in your play and in the team’s overall abilities?

Xeppaa: Confidence is something you develop as a competitor. I play this game every day, and my goal has always been to go pro. I have self-belief regardless of the opponent. No matter who you’re facing, you have to believe you’re the better player and part of the better team. It shouldn’t matter if they’re 35–0 and I’m 0–18; you have to keep that belief. My teammates share that mindset, and that collective conviction is the foundation of our confidence.

How did you work through the losses and bounce back?

Xeppaa: I wouldn’t say we’ve fully bounced back yet, it’s a process. It comes down to confidence and belief. The game isn’t over until it’s over. You fight for every round until the last. As for advice, sometimes it’s simple: “Just shoot them, man.”

From the start of Stage 2 to now, where do you feel you’ve grown the most as a player? Is there something you’re doing now that you might not have been as comfortable doing at the beginning of the season?

Xeppaa: I’ve changed roles from Flex to Initiator to Sentinel. Beyond that, not much has changed. The routine is the same: practice every day, six days a week, and play ranked. I’ve used the same mouse, keyboard, and mousepad for about five years. Nothing drastic has changed. I feel good, especially as I get more comfortable with each match. I wouldn’t say it’s exactly my natural style, but I can adapt more easily because it’s often a lurk-oriented role. Coming from Counter-Strike, that transition is relatively straightforward if you’ve played at a high level. I’m enjoying it.

Looking at Cloud9 as a whole, what are you most proud of regarding the team’s growth and development this season?

Xeppaa: I’m proud of how we carry ourselves in and out of the game. Everyone has a good head on their shoulders, and I’m confident even when things aren’t going our way. We have the capabilities and the individual skills to be among the best; the challenge is finding the balance between being great individually and being the best team. That takes time, but I believe we can reach it. To be specific, the teams we’ve lost to this year have been MIBR, Sentinels, and G2. We lost to MIBR when they were a top-three team early in the season. If we can get over that hump, beat Sentinels and G2 there’s no stopping us.

What goals or expectations do you have for yourself and the team moving forward this season?

Xeppaa: The first goal is to win playoffs, qualify for Champions Paris, and perform well there, ideally win Paris. The aim is always to qualify for events. If we fall short, the work isn’t over. For me, it’s about making sure the time spent scrimming and practicing every day leads to that qualification."