Team Secret Whales have dropped to the lower bracket at MSI, swept 3-0 by Hanwha Life. For the LCP's first seed, it's a rough start to the tournament — but not the end of the road. RFT.GG sat down with TSW jungler Lê "Hizto" Văn Hoàng Hải — at 18, the youngest player at the tournament — to talk about the mistakes that cost them, the macro gap to the LCK and LPL, and playing without fear on his MSI run.

How are you feeling after the series?

I feel pretty bad about losing, especially game three. I think we could have seized the victory, but we made too many mistakes to close it out.

How do you break down those mistakes — where were they, as a team?

The biggest one was the third dragon fight. We weren't well syncronized on what we wanted to do — someone was going in while someone else was trying to get out. We weren't perfectly coordinated, and our toplaner died without any impact.

Is that where the biggest gap lies between the LCP and the LCK or LPL — in teamfights and how you handle them?

In regards to mechanical skill, we can fight them on equal terms.

But in macro and teamfighting, the LPL and LCK are on a different level.

At 18 you're the youngest player at the whole tournament, but this is already your third international after Worlds and First Stand. Do you still feel like the young kid here, or do you feel your experience now?

I have been here for the third time, so I've kinda had some exposure already.

I came in with the mindset that I'm not afraid of anybody.

But we did made some mistakes in the games, and that's why we lost.

hizto kanavi
Photo Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

You're the playmaker of this team — the aggressive, high-tempo game runs through you. Today you were up against Kanavi, a similar kind of player but from the LCK. What did you learn going head-to-head with him?

I've always felt my playstyle is rather similar to Kanavi's — in the first 15 minutes, we're usually the ones making the first move. He's a very experienced player, in both the LCK and the LPL. But there wasn't much I learned from him today, because our loss came down to me and my team not being able to play in sync.

Back in March, you said Team Secret Whales needed more creative tactics to win internationally. Has the team found those ideas — like the Volibear in game two — or is it still a work in progress?

It's still something we're experimenting with. But in a best-of-five against strong teams like this, we rarely try new things — we usually stick to things like comfortable champions for us.

Do you believe that, with how much you can still grow, you'll have what it takes to close that gap and even surpass the LCK or LPL one day?

I think it's hard to close the gap between the LCP and the LCK.

hiztooo smile
Photo Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

I heard SofM — the legendary Vietnamese jungler — will be your sub for the Asian Games. What does it mean for you to share the stage with someone like him?

SofM is a legendary jungler for the VCS, for Vietnam. Having him on the same roster as me made me really proud.

What are your personal goals for this tournament, to close out?

We want to go as far as possible.