On the eve of the Summer Split playoffs, Berlin International Gaming have confirmed the arrival of Turkish jungler Doğukan "113" Balcı. A last-minute addition that tips the Berlin roster into a setup rarely seen in a regional league: five starters with LEC experience.
A free agent jungler
BIG confirmed the signing of 113 on Monday. He takes the place of German jungler Seyit "Habubu" Cüce, who moves to the bench. It is the first time in his career that the Turk has played in the Prime League.
The new Berlin lineup reads as follows:
- Top: Joel "Irrelevant" Scharoll
- Jungle: Doğukan "113" Balcı
- Mid: Steven "Reeker" Chen
- Bot: Patrik "Patrik" Jírů
- Support: Norman "Kaiser" Kaiser
113 arrives after the abrupt end of the MISA Esports project in the TCL. The jungler had put together a strong start to the year there — a two-time Turkish champion, though beaten at EMEA Masters — following a complicated spell at Barça Esports and a difficult 2025 LEC season with BDS. Joblife and Heretics Academy had both looked at him during the offseason without anything materialising; MISA's exit from League of Legends this summer put him back on the market mid-season.
An all-former-LEC roster
With this move, BIG become one of the few ERL rosters made up exclusively of players who have competed in Europe's top league. By benching Habubu, the organisation has now set aside the only two members of its original 2026 roster who had never played in the LEC.
The precedent does call for caution, however: the last team to assemble this kind of CV in a regional league was French Flair in the LFL, who never lifted a trophy, either in France or at EMEA Masters — proof that individual pedigree does not always translate into collective success.
A season to turn around
This is BIG's second roster change of the year, after bringing in Patrik on the botlane ahead of Spring. The organisation won the Winter title, then missed out on EMEA Masters with a fourth-place finish in Spring. They did, however, top their group in the Summer regular season.
The Berliners enter an all-Bo5 bracket on Wednesday 19 August at 17:00 CEST, against Unicorns of Love Sexy Edition.
