Pala--2017 Mundo Parejas--Jornada 2

Pre-Tournament qualifying round--February 17-18 ; Jornada 1: February 24, 2017 ; Jornada 2: March 3, 2017 (J2 links to full match video of both matches); Jornada 3 and 4 ; Jornada 5: March 17, 2017 ; Jornada 6: March 24, 2017; Final and 3rd Place Match: April 1, 2017 (Final and 3rd place links to full match videos of both matches).

Note: All explanatory information about the tournament can be found in the Pre-Tournament qualifying round--February 17-18 link above.

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Jornada 2: March 3, 2017

Note: Source for all article links, unless otherwise specifically stated, is Munduko Pilota Batzarra (World Pilota Council). Usually MPB match articles are presented in both Basque and Castilian, using the same link. The articles appear first in Basque, and then below that in Castilian.

Preview article

1.  Necol-Imanol defeated Gaubeka-Gordon 3-0 (10-3, 10-6, 10-1)  (30-10). Necol and Imanol 100pts. Gaubeka and Gordon 0pts.

2. Fusto-Brefel defeated Landeta-Ibai Perez 3-0 (10-7, 10-9, 10-5) (30-21). Fusto and Brefel 100pts. Landeta and Ibai Perez 0pts.

Match article for both matches

Full match video for both matches (Source: EITB:) N-I v G-G (0:00-33:48), F-B v L-IP (33:49 to end of video).

Innpala brief match article for both matches.

Fusto-Brefel y Necol e Imanol vencieron en sus respectivos encuentros, los primeros en un partido muy peloteado que se les pudo complicar si llegan a perder en el segundo joko tras el empate a 9. Los segundos tuvieron un partido mas placido ante unos gabela y Gordon que no fueron capaces de aguantar el fuerte ritmo al que les sometió el delantero de Dax.

Google attempted English Translation

Fusto-Brefel and Necol and Imanol won in their respective matches, the first in a very peloteado (well played?) match that could (have been much closer?) if they had lost the second Joko after 9-9. The second was an easier match. Gaubeka and Gordon were unable to withstand the strong performance of Necol.

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EITB televised both matches of the 2nd Jornada. It was wonderful to see long court Pala again. 

1.Necol-Imanol v Gaubeka-Gordon

Partial Scoring (1st two jokos only--EITB did not have visual scoring for the entire match. It may have been given by the commentators.)

Scoring: 

Necol +5 -1 Gaubeka +2 -4

Imanol +7 -5 Gordon +1 -4 

Balls in play: 142. Necol 31 Imanol 44; Gaubeka 42 Gordon 24; 

Full linescore for all jokos (sets): (Match winners always listed 1st).

Joko 1: 6-0; 6-1; 8-1; 8-2; 9-2; 9-3; 10-3 (1-0)

Joko 2: 1-0; 1-1; 5-1; 5-3; 7-3; 7-6; 10-6 (2-0)

Joko 3: 7-0; 7-1; 10-1 (3-0)

The linescore shows how dominant N-I were. G-G never led and only reached equality once. After equaling the score at 1-1 in the 2nd joko, Gordon faulted, as he also did after his team had come back from 7-3 to 7-6. Perhaps the best and most competitive point in the match was the one that began at 3-0 in the 3rd joko (25:25-26:47 on the video). It consumed 31 balls in play and was finally ended by a beautiful Necol left wall winner. The point showed Gordon at his best, making some excellent saves. But, with Gaubeka not having his best day, Imanol showing how good he can be on the long court, and Necol's power game,  there was little doubt about the outcome from beginning to end.

2, Fusto-Brefel v Landeta-Ibai Perez.

Scoring: 

Fusto +10 -3 Brefel +7 -7

Landeta +9 -8 Ibai Perez +2 -5

Balls in play: 386. Fusto 111 Brefel 84; Landeta 85 Ibai Perez 106

Time of the match: 49:09

Full linescore for all jokos (Match winners always listed 1st).

Joko 1: 1-0; 1-1; 2-1; 2-2; 3-2; 3-3; 4-3; 4-5; 7-5; 7-7; 10-7 (1-0)

Joko 2: 0-2; 3-2; 3-4; 4-4; 4-7; 5-7; 5-8; 9-8; 9-9; 10-9 (2-0)

Joko 3: 1-0; 1-1; 6-1; 6-2; 7-2; 7-3; 9-3; 9-5; 10-5 (3-0)

Fusto was relentless in this match, his power more and more evident as the match progressed. He wore down Landeta and forced Ibai Perez on the back foot in the deeper reaches of the court many times, a place where his magic is more difficult to come by. Ibai Perez made some marvelous plays, but the long court is a great equalizer. It tests the strength of the back court man, as rebotes (rebound shots) are a much rarer phenomenon in this form. Anyone who watched the short court tournaments earlier in the season could easily see that the rebote is a key part of Ibai's game. The area between 36 and 54 meters, where he was forced to play often, is very different, when the player has to hit on the back foot moving away instead of on the front foot off the rebote. Landeta had, for him, a decent day in front of his home town fans. Although he made too many errors, he was the 2nd highest scorer in the match and had some impressive winners. Brefel was as enthusiastic and powerful as ever, but had a difficult time adjusting to the long court in this match, faulting 4 times in the 1st Joko before settling down. He made some marvelously athletic plays, including the play of the match, in my opinion, during the point beginning at 4-1 in the 3rd Joko (1:16:50-1:17:48 on the video), On one of the best points of the match, which consumed 17 balls in play,  Landeta hit a beautiful high and deep winner... only it wasn't. Brefel ran back kilometers and made an almost impossible rebote off the right side of the back wall to keep the point going. A little later, he won the point with a perfect left wall winner. 

The match turned in the second joko when, with L-IP in control at 7-4, Ibai faulted. Then at 8-6, Landeta missed a beautiful two wall winner by millimeters. A little later, they were down 2-0 instead of equal at 1-1. 

Next week it will be Necol (100)-Ibai-Perez (100) v Landeta (0)-Imanol (200) and Fusto (200)-Gordon (0) v Gaubeka (100)-Brefel (100), as the League phase reaches the half-way point.  

Table at end of Jornada 2:

Key: Player, W-win, L-loss, joko score, tournament points, match record

Delanteros (Front Court)

Fusto    (3-0, 3-0), 200 pts. 2-0
Gaubeka  (3-0, 0-3), 100 pts. 1-1
Necol    (0-3, 3-0), 100 pts. 1-1
Landeta  (0-3, 0-3 ), 0 pts.  0-2

Zagueros (Back Court)

Imanol     (3-0, 3-0), 200pts,2-0
Brefel     (0-3, 3-0), 100pts,1-1
Ibai Perez (3-0, 0-3), 100pts,1-1
Gordon     (0-3, 0-3), 0pts.  0-2

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Table of wins and losses for the 2016-2017 season.

Key: Player; Position (d=delantero (front court), z=zaguero (back court)); match wins-losses; joko (set) wins-losses; winning-losing streak; championships won. Matches that are single partidos will be noted. Table will be according to match winning percentage. 1st tie breaker will be number of wins. 2nd tie breaker will be joko win-loss differential. We begin the season with  La Liga Kutxabank, starting October 29, 2016.

March 3, 2017

Championships:  L=La Liga; MI-Mundial Individual

Gaubeka(d)......8-5.....28-24...-1*....1(L)
Fusto(d)............9-6.....32-26..+4
Zubiri(d)...........8-8.....31-29...-3*
Necol(d)...........7-10....32-37..+1
Landeta(d)........5-9.....23-32...-2

Ibai-Perez(z).....12-4....40-24...-1*....2(L, MI)
Ibargari(z)..........8-8....32-31...+1
Brefel(z).............6-6....23-22...+1
Imanol(z)............5-8....23-28...+2*
Gordon(z)..........6-10...25-36....-3

Includes Feb. 17, 2017 independent match: Fusto-Ibai Perez defeated Necol-Imanol  3-2 (7-10, 10-5, 10-1, 6-10, 10-6) at Mungia.

Includes Dec. 30, 2016 independent match: Landeta-Imanol defeated Zuberi--Ibai-Perez 3-1 (10-8, 7-10, 10-9, 10-7) at Bizkaia.

*Does not include the result of Nov.25, 2016 independent match Gaubeka--Ibai-Perez v Zubiri-Imanol. The result is unknown at this time. I will add it when I find it.

Includes Nov. 19, 2016 independent match: Zuberi-Ibargari defeated Necol-Gordon 3-0 (10-8, 10-3, 10-9) at Bizkaia.

For cumulative accounting of this player table see the InnPala Player win-loss table under the Pala page on the right side of the blog

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Pre-Tournament qualifying round--February 17-18 ; Jornada 1: February 24, 2017 ; Jornada 2: March 3, 2017 (J2 links to full match video of both matches); Jornada 3 and 4 ; Jornada 5: March 17, 2017 ; Jornada 6: March 24, 2017; Final and 3rd Place Match: April 1, 2017 (Final and 3rd place links to full match videos of both matches).

Note: All explanatory information about the tournament can be found in the Pre-Tournament qualifying round--February 17-18 link above.