This is a current awareness blog that links to the latest sources of information on Basque Pelota matches and Tournaments. It covers all of both North and South Basque modalities: Pro and amateur. It links to match stories, statistics and video highlights and/or full match videos. NEW!!! JAI ALAI LEAGUE (EREMAN!) SEASON INTRO AND JAI ALAI WOMEN'S WINTER TOUR 2024 (2/22/24)!!!

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Mano--Binakako Txapelketako/Campionato Parejas--Week 9

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 5Week 6Week 7; Week 8

Week 9

January 27,  2017

A. Mallabia (1) (2): Victor (substituting for Artola)-Albisu defeated Urrutikoetxea-Imaz 22-18 

Match article with statistics and linescore

A 7-0 run by V-A turned a 1-4 deficit into an 8-4 lead. They were able to hold on to that lead for the rest of the match to win. V-A used a strategy of keeping the pelota away from Urrutikoetxea by repeatedly sending deep shots to Imaz. The strategy worked. Although U-A fought hard and were able to close to within 1 point (16-17), they were never able to equalize. 11 U-I errors (compared to 6 by V-A), according to the 21iguales account, did not help their cause. A-A 5-4- -6 (+2) U-I 3-6- -23 (-1)

Match highlights

Full match video (EITB) (match begins at 1 hour, 16 minutes, 3 seconds on the video) (Basque)

Full match video (fronton.tv) (scroll to "Mallabia - 27/01/2017") (Castilian)--added February 2, 2017.

January 28, 2017

B.  Labrit, Iruna (Pamplona) (1) (2): Elezkano II-Zabaleta defeated Ezkurdia-Merino II 22-21

Feature article on the return of Danel Elezkano (Deia)

Danel Elezkano returned to action after missing only 2 weeks of what was widely reported to be a 3-4 week recovery period from an ankle injury. Erik Jaka had replaced Elezkano and just last week had the match of his career, a fantastic +15 -1 in a crushing 22-5 E-Z victory over Altuna III-Barriola at Mungia.

Match article with statistics and linescore (Deia)

In an exciting but poorly played match (barely more winners than errors), E-Z finally prevailed. The match consumed a little less than 1 1/2 hours and almost 600 balls in play. The score was tied at 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 18, 19, and 21. The  21-20 point consumed 79 balls in play and took over 3 minutes. (2:16:40-2:19:54 on the match video--see below). In the midst of all the errors came one of the best plays of the tournament so far: Elezkano, after a diving save (at the 3 line) of an Ezkurdia cross court kill shot, got up and retreived Ezkurdia's long high bomb near the back wall on the left side to keep the point alive.  E-Z 5-4 +35 (+2) E-M 4-5 +7 (-2)

Match highlights (including Elezkano's amazing play)

Match highlights (14 points, including complete video of the last point) (21iguales.com Youtube)

Final point: (21iguales.com Youtube) (4 minutes - end of video)

Full match video (match begins at 1:03:25 on the video)

January 29, 2017

C. Ogueta, Vitoria-Gasteiz (1) (2):  Olaizola II-Untoria defeated Altuna III-Barriola 22-12

Match article with statistics and linescore 

A-B got off to a strong start, leading 7-3 before O-U answered with a 10-0 run. From there they didn't look back as they increased their lead for rest of the match to send A-B to their second consecutive defeat. Olaizola II was the star of the match (+12 (EITB) or +13 (21iguales)). Altuna III had a poor day at the office (-7). O-U 4-5- -6 (+1) A-B 4-5- -36 (-2)

Match highlights
 
Full match video (match begins at 49:20 on the video).

January 30, 2017

D.  Beotibar, Tolosa (1)(2): Bengoetxea VI-Larunbe defeated  Irribarria-Rezusta 22-21.

Match article with statistics and linescore

I-R are having a great Parejas competition, with only 2 losses in 9 matches. B-L have defeated them both times. For the second time in 3weeks, Bengoetxea VI had a magnificent match (+14 -2, according to 21iguales.com) to go along with his +12 -2 in the first match between the two teams. In the first match B-L jumped off to a big lead and then held on. In this match they had to travel a more difficult road. Down 8-2, and 9-3, they began their comeback at 12-6. A 5-1 run got them to within 13-11. But from there the rally stalled as the teams played at equality all the way to 19-17. 4 straight points took B-L to the brink, but then I-R equalized. Bengoetxea VI won it with a cross court kill shot.  I-R 7-2 +43 (-1)  B-L 4-5- -14 (+1)

Match highlights

Match highlights (21iguales.com Youtube). Parts or all of 17 selected points.

There was no match video at the time of posting. If one becomes available, I will link to it.