London's Owen Martin crowned Season X's regular season champion, still seeking first TNL ring

Though he won the regular season championship, it's still far from over for London's Owen "Othebeast" Martin. After all, there's still the TNL Playoffs to contend with. Martin's team, the London Glory, finished atop the Season X standings with a 28-7 record, booking a first-round matchup with valek and the Austin Strike. London and Austin will begin their first-round series on Wednesday, July 7.

"It just proved to me that I can team build," Martin said. "I can have an idea that I can build around, and I've been trying to build around games. [Ryosuke Miyaoka] took a bit of a nosedive this season, but I was still able to surround him with the cast to get the wins I needed."

Miyaoka, once considered a dark-horse MVP candidate, slipped ten spots in the rankings this season to a 16th-place finish. Even so, Martin’s ability to adjust around his star’s decline helped London maintain its status as one of the league’s toughest teams to beat. Aside from Portland — who finished 27-8 — London was the only other team not to drop consecutive games all season. The Glory also failed to reach 50 points in just three contests, underscoring their steady scoring floor and resilience across the schedule.

But the playoffs are a different animal, and the Glory are heading into them with a few clear warning signs.

First, there’s the scoring. London ranks just eighth in points per game, while its opponent, Austin, comes in at No. 3. That gap in offensive production could prove decisive in a close series, especially if the contests turn into a high-scoring display.

Second is the question of star power. The Strike’s Gavin Obey landed at No. 7 in the latest TNL player rankings, a few steps ahead of both London's Isaiah Thomas (No. 14) and Miyaoka (No. 16). If Austin needs someone to take over a game in crunch time, they arguably have the best option on the floor.

And the final concern for the Glory lies in the numbers beneath the surface. The advanced statistics favor Austin across all three stages, painting the picture of a matchup that could lean the Strike’s way despite London’s superior record. It means Martin's squad will likely have to win ugly to survive.

"He's going to give me a run for my money," Martin said of Austin's manager, valek. "I do see it going to seven. I do think that either of us have a shot at winning. It's just going to come down to who can close out games. But my team has shown the ability to close out tough games on a regular basis."

A big reason for that late-game poise came from Martin’s willingness to overhaul his rotations midyear. Early in the campaign, London was anything but settled. Martin was constantly rotating different lineups, trying to see which combinations worked best. That constant experimenting took a toll on their stage averages, with only Stage Three holding up statistically.

However, according to Martin, those trials ultimately shaped a tougher, more connected group. Once he landed on a consistent lineup, the results began to stabilize.

"We became really consistent, especially due to me starting different guys on different stages throughout the entire season, until I found something that clicked," Martin said. "That basically tanked my regular season averages for my stages, except for Stage Three. So, me finding a consistent lineup allows my guys to get used to the course."

Looking ahead, the playoff bracket could offer London a small break if they can get through the opening round. Should the Glory advance beyond the quarterfinals, they’d meet either No. 4 Houston or No. 5 Oakland in the semis. Both are quality teams, but also squads London defeated during the regular season, giving Martin some measure of psychological edge.

"I do think that if I drew either team, I think I'd end up winning," Martin said. "But then have to face khanken in the finals and I'm gonna get my ass whooped. I don't think I can win the championship, [but] I can see me either getting eliminated in the quarterfinals or getting into the finals."

Even with that brutally honest assessment, Martin’s confidence in his group hasn’t wavered. In fact, he’s feeding off the rest of the league’s frustration with London’s success.

"It's just giving me the energy to kick their asses," Martin said.