The 2020 Washington Justice season was the second season of Washington Justice's existence in the Overwatch League. The Justice planned to host a league-high five homestand weekends in the 2020 season; the first three would take place at The Anthem, while the second two would be at the Entertainment and Sports Arena.[1] While the first two homestands at took place, all other homestand events were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 5, the Justice parted ways with head coach Seetoh "JohnGalt" Jian Qing.[2] On June 17, Washington promoted assistant coach Han "Sup7eme" Seung-jun to head coach.[3] After finishing the regular season with a 4–17 record, the Justice swept both the Vancouver Titans and Dallas Fuel in the North America play-in tournament to qualify to the season playoffs.[4] In their first match in the North America bracket, Washington squandered an early 2–0 lead over the San Francisco Shock and lost by a score of 2–3, sending them to the lower bracket.[5] The following day, on September 6, the Justice swept the third-seeded Paris Eternal, 3–0.[6] Washington continued their playoff run, taking down the fourth-seeded Florida Mayhem on September 11 and needing one more win to qualify for the Grand Finals Bracket.[7] However, the team fell to the top-seeded Philadelphia Fusion the following day by a score of 0–3, ending their playoff run.[8]
Preceding offseason
Organizational changes
In late September 2019, the Justice parted ways with their entire coaching staff from their inaugural season, including head coach Kim "WizardHyeong" Hyeong-seok.[9] The team signed Seetoh "JohnGalt" Jian Qing, who was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Gladiators, as their new head coach in October.[10] Washington added two more coaches to their staff on November 8, with the hiring of former Hangzhou Spark assistant coach Han "Sup7eme" Seung-jun as a development coach and former XL2 Academy coach Lee "Wiz" Hae-joon as a strategic coach.[11][12] A month later, on December 5, the Justice signed former Houston Outlaws support player Chris "Bani" Banell as an assistant coach.[13]
Roster changes
Free agents
| Role |
Player |
Contract
status |
Date signed |
2020 team
|
| Handle |
Name
|
| Damage |
Ado |
Gi-Hyeon Chon |
Free agent |
– |
–
|
| Support |
Ark |
Yeon-Jun Hong |
Free agent |
October 31 |
Washington Justice[14]
|
| Support |
Hyeonu |
Hyeon-Woo Jo |
Free agent |
– |
–
|
| Tank |
Janus |
Joon-Hwa Song |
Free agent |
– |
–
|
| Tank |
Sansam |
Hyang-Gi Kim |
Free agent |
– |
–
|
| Support |
Sleepy |
Nikola Andrews |
Free agent |
– |
–
|
- Legend
- Re-signed/Retained by the Justice.
- Departed from the Justice.
|
The Justice enter the new season with six free agents, two players which they have the option to retain for another year, and three players under contract.[15] The OWL's deadline to exercise a team option is November 11, after which any players not retained will become a free agent. Free agency officially began on October 7.[16]
Acquisitions
The Justice's first offseason acquisition was on October 18, when they agreed to acquire main tank Gye "rOar" Chang-hoon from the Los Angeles Gladiators, pending approval from the league.[17] The team made their first signing on October 23 in flex DPS Lee "TTuba" Ho-sung.[18] On November 7, Washington signed former Boston Uprising flex support Kwon "AimGod" Min-seok.[19]
Departures
On October 7, the Justice announced that they would not re-sign free agents main tank Song "Janus" Joon-hwa, off-tank Kim "SanSam" Hyang-gi, DPS Chon "Ado" Gi-Hyeon, and support Jo "Hyeonu" Hyeon-woo.[20] Days later, they announced that they would not re-sign support Nikola "Sleepy" Andrews, and they would not exercise their option to retain flex support Mun "Gido" Gi-do.[21]
Roster
| 2020 Washington Justice roster
|
| Players |
Coaches
|
| Role
|
No.
|
Handle
|
Name
|
Nationality
|
| Damage
|
22
|
Stitch
|
Lee Chung-hee
|
South Korea
|
| Damage
|
18
|
Decay
|
Jang Gui-un
|
South Korea
|
| Damage
|
21
|
TTuba
|
Lee Ho-sung
|
South Korea
|
| Tank
|
37
|
rOar
|
Gye Chang-hoon
|
South Korea
|
| Tank
|
14
|
JJANU
|
Choi Hyeon-woo
|
South Korea
|
| Support
|
0
|
ArK
|
Hong Yeon-jun
|
South Korea
|
| Support
|
31
|
AimGod
|
Kwon Min-seok
|
South Korea
|
|
- Head coach
|
|
Legend:
- (I) Inactive
- (S) Suspended
- (2W) Two-way player
- Substitute
- Injury / Illness
|
Latest roster transaction: September 1, 2020.
|
Transactions
Transactions of/for players on the roster during the 2020 regular season:
- On May 8, DPS Corey "Corey" Nigra and DPS Ethan "Stratus" Yankel retired.[22][23]
- On May 16, the Justice signed DPS Lee "Stitch" Choong-hui and tank Choi "JJANU" Hyeon-woo on 14-day contracts.[24]
- On May 22, the Justice signed tank Choi "JJANU" Hyeon-woo to a long-term contract.[25]
- On June 1, the Justice signed DPS Lee "Stitch" Choong-hui to a long-term contract.[26]
- On June 4, the Justice released tank Elliot "ELLIVOTE" Vaneryd.[27]
- On August 12, the Justice signed DPS Jang "Decay" Gui-un.[28]
- On September 1, the Justice released tank Lukas "LullSiSH" Wiklund.[29]
Standings
Source:
The Overwatch LeagueRules for classification: 1) Wins plus bonus wins 2)
winning percentage (excluding bonus wins); 3) map differential; 4) head-to-head record; 5) head-to-head map differential
Game log
Regular season
| 2020 game log (Regular season record: 4–17)
|
| 9
|
April 12
|
Washington Justice
|
0
|
–
|
3
|
Dallas Fuel
|
Online
|
|
|
|
12:00 midnight UTC
|
|
|
|
|
May Melee qualifiers: 1–2
|
Summer Showdown qualifiers: 0–3
|
Countdown Cup qualifiers: 1–3
|
|
|
Midseason tournaments
| 2020 midseason tournaments game log
|
|
|
|
|
| Knockouts
|
August 07
|
Washington Justice
|
2
|
–
|
3
|
Dallas Fuel
|
Online
|
|
|
|
11:00 pm UTC
|
|
|
|
|
| Bonus wins awarded: 0
|
Postseason
| 2020 playoff game log
|
North America Play-ins: 2–0
| Round 2
|
September 04
|
Washington Justice
|
3
|
–
|
0
|
Dallas Fuel
|
Online
|
|
|
|
11:00 pm UTC
|
|
|
|
|
North America Bracket: 3–2
| Lower Round 1
|
September 06
|
Washington Justice
|
3
|
–
|
0
|
Paris Eternal
|
Online
|
|
|
|
9:00 pm UTC
|
|
|
|
| Lower Round 3
|
September 12
|
Washington Justice
|
3
|
–
|
0
|
Florida Mayhem
|
Online
|
|
|
|
9:00 pm UTC
|
|
|
|
|
References
- ^ Byrum, Tyler (July 16, 2019). "Overwatch League coming to The Anthem and the Entertainment and Sports Arena". NBC Sports Washington. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
- ^ Washington Justice [@washjustice] (June 5, 2020). "Today we say thank you and goodbye to JohnGalt as he steps away from the Justice to further his education" (Tweet). Retrieved October 13, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (June 17, 2020). "Washington Justice promotes Sup7eme to head coach". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
- ^ Weyrich, Matt (September 11, 2020). "Washington Justice Pull Off Series of Upsets in Overwatch Playoffs". NBC Washington. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (September 5, 2020). "Hangzhou Spark, Chengdu Hunters eliminated in Overwatch League playoffs". Dot Esports. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ Field Level Media (September 6, 2020). "Fusion, Shock hold form at OWL NA playoffs". Reuters. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ Weyrich, Matt (September 12, 2020). "Washington Justice Pull to Within One Win of Grand Finals in South Korea". NBC Washington. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ Jansen, Eric; Boykin, Nick (September 14, 2020). "Digital Cinderella story | Washington Justice make Overwatch playoffs amid pandemic, team shakeup". WUSA9. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ "Washington Justice part ways with coaching staff". ESPN. ESPN. September 30, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
- ^ Howard, Brandon (October 10, 2019). "Washington Justice Find New Head Coach". TheGamer. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
- ^ Field Level Media (November 8, 2019). "Justice hire 'Wiz' as strategic coach". Gwinett Prep Sports. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- ^ Scrubasaurus (November 8, 2019). "Sup7eme joins Washington Justice". over.gg. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (December 5, 2019). "Washington Justice add Bani as coach". Dot Esports. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
- ^ "Valiant, Defiant, Justice make moves in Overwatch League". ESPN. Reuters. October 31, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
- ^ Morello, Matt (July 30, 2019). "2020 Team Needs and Player Contract Status". Overwatch League. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (October 4, 2019). "Overwatch League reveals player contract status for entire league". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (October 18, 2019). "Washington Justice acquire rOar from Los Angeles Gladiators". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (October 23, 2019). "TTuba joins Washington Justice". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
- ^ "Justice round out Overwatch League roster with AimGod". ESPN. Reuters. November 7, 2019. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (October 7, 2019). "Washington Justice release 4 players". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (October 11, 2019). "Washington Justice release Sleepy and Gido". Dot Esports. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
- ^ Gott, Jared (May 9, 2020). "Washington Justice Star Corey Retires From OWL To Pursue VALORANT". TheGamer. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ Richardson, Liz (May 8, 2020). "Washington Justice DPS Stratus leaves competition for content creation role". Dot Esports. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ Long, Bradley (May 16, 2020). "Washington Justice Sign Stitch and JJANU". Hotspawn. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ Peres, Pedro (May 22, 2020). "Washington Justice signs JJANU to long-term contract, promotes PRE to GM". Dot Esports. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ Castelot, Ophelie (June 1, 2020). "Overwatch League: Washington Justice Signs Stitch To Long Term Contract". ESTNN. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ Weiss, Adelaide (June 4, 2020). "Washington Justice parts ways with off-tank ELLIVOTE". Dot Esports. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ Wolf, Jacob (August 12, 2020). "Decay signs with Washington Justice". ESPN. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
- ^ Peres, Pedro (September 1, 2020). "Washington Justice parts ways with LullSiSH following visa issues". Dot Esports. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
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