SJ bench AKE and BONA, sign Jimpphat and HENU

Young rifler Jimi "⁠Jimpphat⁠" Salo, brother of Jere "⁠sergej⁠" Salo, joins the team at only 14 years old.

Finnish CS:GO team SJ have made changes to their starting lineup, benching Leevi "⁠AKE⁠" Kovalainen and Verneri "⁠BONA⁠" Junkala in favour of the incoming Jimpphat and Henri "⁠HENU⁠" Ylilehto. It seems the move is performance related, with Otta Takala, SJ's Sports Executive Director, commenting that "the changes to the line-up are aimed at better competitive success."

Jimpphat, younger brother of sergej and only 14 years of age, comes into the team to some excitement, having posted some impressive stats throughout the first part of the year. Of particular note was the Elisa Nordic Championship Finland, where the young Finn posted a 1.51 rating to knock his new team out of the event.

BONA finds himself benched along with AKE

Jimpphat has also filled in for SJ before at the Spring Sweet Spring 2 Regionals, where he posted an impressive 1.38-rated map against GORILLAZ, with the team narrowly losing out in overtime.

It is worth noting that the team will be unable to use the 14-year-old in any Valve-sanctioned events, with Jimpphat currently serving a five-year ban, which will expire in January 2023. This comes as part of Valve's new eligibility guidelines regarding VAC bans.

It has been a quiet year for SJ, having generally made little impact in regional tournaments and failing to qualify for any of the stronger tier-two events. They have also struggled to distinguish themselves among their countrymen, dropping series throughout the year so far to other Finnish teams like hREDS and KOVA. They will be hoping the new changes will push them to greater heights over the rest of this year.

You can catch the following SJ lineup in action next against AGO in the Malta Vibes Knockout Series, starting Monday, August 16 at 13:00 :

Finland Tony "⁠arvid⁠" Niemelä
Finland Tuomas "⁠SADDYX⁠" Louhimaa
Finland Joel "⁠Jelo⁠" Lentonen
Finland Henri "⁠HENU⁠" Ylilehto
Finland Jimi "⁠Jimpphat⁠" Salo

Finland Henri 'HENU' Ylilehto
Henri 'HENU' Ylilehto
Age:
18
Team:
Rating 1.0:
0.83
Maps played:
26
KPR:
0.60
DPR:
0.75
Finland Verneri 'BONA' Junkala
Verneri 'BONA' Junkala
Age:
21
Team:
Rating 1.0:
0.91
Maps played:
455
KPR:
0.63
DPR:
0.70
Finland Jimi 'Jimpphat' Salo
Jimi 'Jimpphat' Salo
Age:
14
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.04
Maps played:
25
KPR:
0.71
DPR:
0.68
Time is adjusted to your selected timezone
Finland Tuomas 'SADDYX' Louhimaa
Tuomas 'SADDYX' Louhimaa
Age:
20
Team:
Rating 1.0:
0.96
Maps played:
610
KPR:
0.66
DPR:
0.68
Finland Leevi 'AKE' Kovalainen
Leevi 'AKE' Kovalainen
Age:
21
Team:
Rating 1.0:
0.87
Maps played:
68
KPR:
0.60
DPR:
0.70
Finland Jere 'sergej' Salo
Jere 'sergej' Salo
Age:
19
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.09
Maps played:
712
KPR:
0.73
DPR:
0.64
Finland Tony 'arvid' Niemelä
Tony 'arvid' Niemelä
Age:
24
Team:
Rating 1.0:
0.95
Maps played:
856
KPR:
0.65
DPR:
0.69
Finland Joel 'Jelo' Lentonen
Joel 'Jelo' Lentonen
Age:
22
Team:
Rating 1.0:
0.93
Maps played:
64
KPR:
0.64
DPR:
0.69
14 lol, just dont do the shovel shit your brother did
2021-08-16 13:11
0
3 replies
+1
2021-08-16 13:11
0
Sergej is already 19 what the fuck time flies
2021-08-16 13:55
0
Thats a finnish tradition in the army nowdays. :)
2021-08-17 14:13
0
#2
 | 
Germany iBUYPOLAND
okay!
2021-08-16 13:11
0
1 reply
BONA fired
2021-08-16 13:30
0
nice
2021-08-16 13:11
0
#4
Ale | 
Finland ksiBOB
jimppa dirty cheater
2021-08-16 13:11
0
fake Jamppi
2021-08-16 13:11
0
nice
2021-08-16 13:11
0
14yo
2021-08-16 13:11
0
ez for jimpphat
2021-08-16 13:11
0
14 yo talent
2021-08-16 13:11
0
#11
 | 
Finland Stonkamies
Jimpphat will be even better than prime sergej was.
2021-08-16 13:12
0
2 replies
if there will be a good finnish team around him yes but idk about english teams
2021-08-16 15:38
0
15yo sergej carrying havu 1v5 back in the days. jimppa is FAR away still.
2021-08-16 22:06
0
#14
 | 
Sweden sn1pie
gl sergej jr
2021-08-16 13:12
0
BIG MOVE
2021-08-16 13:12
0
Jimpphat more like vac ban
2021-08-16 13:12
0
14 POG
2021-08-16 13:13
0
the meme
2021-08-16 13:13
0
#22
HS | 
Europe Hrscmk
ez for yung salo
2021-08-16 13:15
0
Jimp phat 😫👌💯
2021-08-16 13:16
0
#25
 | 
Ukraine Lordon
ez for jamppi and hen1
2021-08-16 13:17
0
ahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahhaha
2021-08-16 13:18
0
#29
Faceit level 8  | 
Snake | 
Yugoslavia Masseis_meitsi
why sj signing xiters?(
2021-08-16 13:21
0
Okay
2021-08-16 13:22
0
HENU > HENI
2021-08-16 13:22
0
child labor
2021-08-16 13:26
0
#39
 | 
Finland samuuu38
Back to tier3 with jimppa POG
2021-08-16 13:28
0
Cheater
2021-08-16 13:34
0
These intellectuals signed a 14 year old. I don't know if he's good mechanically,but his mental is gonna be very weak for another couple of years.
2021-08-16 13:44
0
3 replies
he is sergejs little brother,so he is probably more experienced than other 14 yo atleast on the mental
2021-08-16 13:49
0
#62
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
Finland c0nfus
You'll see. It's not like theyre aiming for major finals anyway in the next 1.5 years because of his ban. If CS doesn't completely die and he continues playing with the same motivation as he has been so far, he's a guarantee for a top10 player in the world in a few years. Thats what SJ see in him, either he carries them to the top, or they get a good buyout from him when he's 16-17 when he gets bough to a better team.
2021-08-16 14:10
0
1 reply
Good postaus +1
2021-08-16 15:40
0
Ez major jimpphat
2021-08-16 13:48
0
😂 kinda amusing picking up a child is kinda lacklustre. With most contracts requiring 16+ for payment and prize money and tier 1 events being 18+ Without a 6man roster this team just solidified their spot in tier3/4 cs. But even then 18+, he won't be cleared for a valve event until he's 19.
2021-08-16 13:51
0
3 replies
Ummm he'll be able to play in Valve events pretty soon after turning 16.
2021-08-16 18:07
0
You clearly don't have any clue what your talking about. 99% of the time, tournaments pay the orgs directly with the winnings, so it doesn't matter what is the age of the player. Then the org pays the players. And there is no tier 1 events that are +16 only. Ever heard of sergej? Brollan? Frozen? And he will be cleared in 2023, so he will be 16 yo.
2021-08-17 11:46
0
1 reply
Esl is 16+ only. And I surely know nothing. hltv.org/news/30853/asap-handed-12-month..
2021-08-22 21:07
0
It's the new generation ez 4 Jimpphat
2021-08-16 13:55
0
HEN1 LEFT FURIA FOR THIS? KEKW
2021-08-16 13:58
0
Nice
2021-08-16 13:58
0
He turned 15 a couple of weeks ago
2021-08-16 14:29
0
4 replies
Noup, he will turn next month.
2021-08-17 11:46
0
3 replies
2021-08-17 11:48
0
2 replies
yes? Age 14.
2021-08-17 11:49
0
1 reply
It said 15 before I swear!!! July 23 or something
2021-08-17 13:15
0
Jimp vac
2021-08-16 14:31
0
Yes Jimpphat has cheated, but how does this situation differ any way from other sports??? You get banned from competitions and training with your coach or country's athletic team. You might have 3 months, if you didn't know that you used some illegal substance or in the worst possible scenario you get 4 years. And if you have used doping twice you get banned rest of your professional career. So why e-sports can't have similar kind of solution for cheating??
2021-08-16 14:32
0
2 replies
#85
Faceit level 10  | 
jcobbb | 
Poland Berbe123
"didn't know that you used some illegal substance" Difference is that, in CS u can't use cheats "by mistake"
2021-08-16 16:18
0
1 reply
Yup, I was just wondering :)
2021-08-16 17:31
0
and lose and lose hahahaahahahaha
2021-08-16 14:49
0
Jimi at SuperJymy
2021-08-16 15:22
0
I did hope Jimpphat would join Havu. I guess SJ will do for now.
2021-08-16 15:41
0
nice
2021-08-16 15:57
0
why sign the most average rifler in finnish tier 2 scene? jimpphat is nice although he needs so much more experience. but why sign henu? i mean they don't even get paid to play so i guess it doesn't matter. also who's awping now?
2021-08-16 16:31
0
5 replies
Bona consistent bad for so long and henu has been improved quickly alot and hes young still. Best player available for role what is needed in sj. Saddyx is awping and he knows atleast how to play awp and what to do with it
2021-08-16 17:16
0
4 replies
i don't agree with you on henu, but thanks for info anyways and gl to new roster
2021-08-16 18:49
0
3 replies
Ofcourse they get paid, what are you talking about?!
2021-08-16 22:26
0
2 replies
nt troll. they get left over products from sponsors. havu and kova are the only teams getting paid in finland. and havu is the only one getting good amounts. kova players struggle to pay rent and make barely what you could earn as a cashier.
2021-08-17 11:51
0
1 reply
Its well known that havu, kova and sj getting paid, so they can play fulltime. Not sure about havu, but kova got about year ago ~1500, probably now close to 2k. SJ getting 1000-1500. TBH that's not really much, no idea how they can survive, maybe eating noodles.
2021-08-17 15:51
0
#91
Faceit level 10  | 
 | 
Poland SebL
Their previous team was that bad that I think disband and creating a completely new team would be much better, Idk. if even s1mple could save those players, this roster wasn't even T1 in Finland, and was getting beaten by Finnish mixes, what happend to SJ, they used to be decent.
2021-08-16 17:52
0
#92
 | 
Finland sway777
Jimpphat the real 14yo-talent
2021-08-16 17:54
0
expected
2021-08-16 18:25
0
Hype?
2021-08-16 18:57
0
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