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)!!!

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Mano--Binakako Txapelketako/Campionato Parejas--Week 11

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 7Week 8 ; Week 9 ; Week 10

Week 11

February 10, 2017

A. Urduliz (1)(2): Bengoetxea VI-Larunbe defeated Olaizola II-Untoria 22-20

Match article with statistics and linescore

In a very long (76 minutes) and hard fought (687 balls in play) match where there were 4 lead changes and 8 tie scores (the teams were never separated by more than 4 points), B-L made the last comeback to defeat O-U. Bengoetxea VI was the star of the match (+15 -4 according to 21igaules.com). The point beginning at 19-16 O-U (2:00:45--2:01:58 on the video) was a very controversial one. Oliazola II appeared to win the point with a cross court shot. However the ball was ruled to have hit below the line on the wall. 20-16 became 19-17. Watch the video and judge for yourself.  The 3rd consecutive win for B-L moved them into the top 4 and dropped O-U out of the top 4, for the moment.

B-L 6-5- +1 (+3) O-U 5-6- -1 (-1)

I was unable to find match highlights for this match.

Full match video (EITB) (match begins at 57 minutes 59 seconds on the video)

February 11, 2017

B. Labrit, Iruna (Pamplona) (1) (2): Irribarria-Rezusta defeated Elezkano II-Zabaleta 22-18


After a slow start, I-R used an 8-0 run to establish a 12-7 lead. E-Z fought back and were able to equalize at 16 and 18, but then Irribarria took matters into his own hands, scoring 3 of the last 4 points, 2 on cross court shots and 1 on a cross court shot that set up his winning shot. The other point came on a Zabaleta error that ended the 21-18 point, which consumed 43 balls in play. The win guaranteed I-R a place in the Semi-final League. E-Z are still among the top 4, but only because of their point differential.

I-R 9-2 +51 (+2)*  E-Z 5-6 +24 (-2)

* guaranteed place in Semi-final League

Match highlights (highlights for this match from 0:00-0:51)

Full match video (EITB--Basque) (match begins at 16:28 on the video).

Full match video (fronton.tv--Castilian) (scroll to "Labrit-Pamplona - 11/02/2017".) Final 4 points begin at 51:31 on the video.

C. Ereta, Tafalla (1) (2): Ezkurdia-Merino II defeated Victor (substituting for Artola)-Albisu 22-12

Match article with statistics and linescore

E-M's desperately needed victory broke their 3 match losing streak and stopped A-A's 3 match winning streak. It also helped their Semi-final League chances. At the heart of their victory was a 10-0 run that gave them a 15-6 lead. A-A's 16 errors (according to 21iguales.com), equally split, hurt their cause and denied them a chance to move into uncontested possession of 2nd place in the competition.

E-M 5-6 +13 (+1)  A-A 6-5- -2 (-1)

Match highlights

Full match video (match begins at 56:33 on the video)

February 12, 2017

D.  La Universidad de la Pelota, Markina-Xemein (1)(2): Urrutikoetxea-Imaz defeated Altuna III-Barriola 22-21

Match article with statistics and linescore

The two teams at the bottom of the table switched places based on point differential after U-I won an exciting match by the minimum. An 8-0 run gave U-I a seemingly safe 16-9 lead. But A-B fought back from 19-13 to equalize to equalize at 21. Urrutikoetxea won it with a perfect left wall dejada, sending A-B to their 4th consecutive defeat. Both teams still have chances at Semi-final League places, but there is little room for error with their point differentials. And they will need a lot of other match results to go their way.

U-I 4-7- -35 (+1)  A-B 4-7 -51 (-4)

Match highlights (highlights for this match from 0:51-end of the video)

There was no full match video for this match.