Binakako Txapelketako/Campionato Parejas, the premier doubles competition of the 2016-2017 Mano season, began December 2, 2016. 8 teams compete for the title. The first (league) phase is a double round robin (14 matches). The top 4 finishers will then face off in a single round robin (3 matches). The two winners will play in a final on April 9, 2017.
Asegarce Competition Page
Asegarce League phase table
ASPE League phase table
Wikipedia Competition Page (Castilian)
Full ongoing league phase table (with total points and differential):
Source for all match articles, unless otherwise specifically stated, is 21iguales.com 21iguales.com will also keep an ongoing phase table at its main Parejas site and with every match article.
Match linescores will be provided from match articles when available. Full match linescores can be found at 21iguales.com Twitter feed. Track back to the date and match and follow from beginning to en The feed is also available at the Main site of 21iguales.com while the matches are in progress.
Source for all highlights and full match videos, unless otherwise specifically stated, is EITB.
Week 1; Week 2; Week 3; Week 4; Week 5; Week 6; Week 7; Week 8 ; Week 9 ; Week 10; Week 11; Week 12; Week 13; Week 14--End of the Quarter-final League phase
Table of the 4 teams that advance to the Semi-final League.
Key: Team, match record, point differential, winning-losing streak going into the Semi-final League.
Irribarria-Rezusta: 12-2, +79, +5
Elezkano-Zabeleta 7-7, +41 +1
Oliazola II-Untoria 7-7, +10 +2
Bengoetxea VI-Larunbe 7-7 -12, -1
===================================
Semi-Final League--Jornada 1
March 11, 2017
Labrit, Iruna (Pamplona) (1) (2): Bengoetxea VI-Larunbe defeated Olaizola II-Untoria 22-18 B-L 1-0, +4; O-U 0-1 -4
Match articles (analysis and/or linescores and statistics)
21iguales.com
Diario Vasco
Deia
This was a match of two halves. The first half was named Olaizola II and ran from about 0-0 -- 5-13. The second half was named Bengoetxea VI and ran from 6-13 -- 22-18. For the longer version of this story see the match articles above. One thing to look for in the match video is the successful strategy employed by B-L. This involved keeping the pelota away from Olizazola II, which Larunbe was particularly successful at by moving in in order to drive Untoria farther away. B-L will face Irribarria-Rezusta this weekend at Donastia. They are the only team to have defeated I-R in this competition, handing them their only two losses.
Match highlights (EITB)
Match highlghts (21iguales.com) (parts of 23 points, including the final point).
Full match video (EITB) (Basque) (match begins at 56:14 on the video)
Full match video (fronton.tv) (Castilian) (scroll to "Labrit-Pamplona - 11/03/2017"
March 12, 2017
Astelena, Eibar (1)(2): Irribarria-Rezusta defeated Elezkano II-Zabaleta 22-15 I-R 1-0 +7. E-Z 0-1 -7
Match articles (analysis and/or linescores and statistics):
21iguales.com
Dairo Vasco
Deia
As the Deia headline stated, it was just another day at the office for I-R. After E-Z took an early 3-0 lead, a 9 point run set the tone for I-R, and though E-Z did fight back, they were never able to equalize. I-R's strategy was to pin Zabaleta as far back as possible (with Irribarria steam shoveling his high and deep bombs at this historic (1904) but rather small venue) and then pick up the pieces. An iconic picture from this match is that of Zabaleta, backing up and feeling for the back wall like a baseball outfielder feeling for the wall on a deep fly ball. Only Zabaleta couldn't catch the ball, he had to hit it. He simply was not up to the task. This match illustrates the disparity in scoring that is often evident in BP matches. The three print articles charged Zabaleta with either 5 or 6 errors. EITB was less generous, charging him with 11. Any way you look at it, it was a bad day at the office for him. E-Z now face Olaizola II-Untoria this weekend at Iruna in an elimination match.
One other thing to watch for is the interview with Elezkano II at the end of the EITB full match video. Look at his hand, bloodied on one side and quite swollen. That picture speaks a thousand words to the toll this modality can take.
Match highlights
Full match video (match begins at 49:12 on the video)
