Polbandana: “We were in the top 200 before DraculaN, but we came here as champions with a strong mentality”

Polbandana: “We were in the top 200 before DraculaN, but we came here as champions with a strong mentality”

An inspiring showing in Bucharest is set to redefine BASEMENT BOYS’ trajectory this season.

Ahead of the Budapest Major invite cutoff, LAN events like DraculaN Season 2 have become high-stakes battlegrounds for teams seeking to shake up their status. One of those teams was BASEMENT BOYS, who entered DraculaN unranked by VRS but left ranked #85 after clinching third place in Romania. 

“We were top 200 before this LAN, but we came here as champions. We came here with a good mentality,” said Zahar “Polbandana” Siledchyk after the run. He acknowledged that the team had limited preparation due to a new in-game leader, but still believes the result surpassed expectations.

BASEMENT BOYS defeated FlyQuest, Nexus, and Passion UA en route to their strong finish—victories that Polbandana emphasized were not flukes.

“It was not an accident we beat those teams. On LAN, everybody is equal. I just said that our mission is to get some VRS, because we were kinda fucked up. Let's try to enjoy the game, and if we enjoy it like a team and family, we're gonna win. And we did it three times, and that's not bad for a team like us.” 

In the consolidation final, BASEMENT BOYS fell 1-2 to Passion UA in a close series. The team put up a strong fight, especially on Ancient (13–7), but could not close it out in Train and Dust2. Despite the loss, their performance still earned significant rewards: VRS points, broader exposure, and future invites to online events.

Polbandana also expressed gratitude for the growing community support:

“I’m happy people started supporting us. We will keep up the hard work and see what we can do. We have one more LAN in Czechia, and we will have a bootcamp before that.” 

Related developments & context

OG Capture First LAN Title

In the grand final of DraculaN Season 2, OG defeated Passion UA 2-1 to claim their first-ever LAN trophy. Their run included victories over BASEMENT BOYS, AM, SINNERS, and ECSTATIC. After their win, coach Lambert said:

“We need to go to Riga with confidence. Of course, we are exhausted… but after Riga and Fragadelphia, we can still have some days, so we have to give everything.” 

DraculaN Season 2 Overview
The tournament ran from September 25 to 28 in Bucharest, featuring 16+ teams and a prize pool of roughly $11,258. BASEMENT BOYS’ 3rd place came with a prize share and a boost in their VRS standing. 

Player profile: Polbandana

Zahar “Polbandana” Siledchyk is a 21-year-old Ukrainian player currently with BASEMENT BOYS.  Over his career, he has played 225 maps and maintains a rating around 1.04. 

Other player quotes from DraculaN coverage

During the event, HLTV’s live coverage captured a number of remarks from other teams and players:

Chr1zN (OG): “I’m very happy the grind has paid off.” 

NBK-: “If you told us we would come and win three BO3s, we take that any day of the week.” 

These reflect the competitive atmosphere and the importance of momentum in LAN play.