Pala/Pala Larga--Mundo Parejas--Jornada 3--March 15, 2019

Mundial Parejas, the premier long court Pala Tournament, began  February 22-23, 2019. The tournament, sponsored by Munduko Pilota Batzarra (Basque Pelota and Associated Sports World Council), is set up in a unique way. In each round the partnerships change. It features 8 InnPala professionals, 4 front court (delanteros) and 4 back (zagueros). The tournament will be played as a partial double round robin, with each player pairing with 3 others in each round, for a total of 6 matches. The partners who will not be playing together in the League phase are listed at the bottom of this post. On April 13 the top two delanteros pair up with the top two zagueros and play in a final. There is also a 3rd place match. The scoring for the tournament is based completely on joko (set) scores: 3-0=100pts, 3-1=80pts, 3-2=60pts, 2-3=40pts, 1-3=20pts, 0-3=0pts. The scoring system emphasizes the importance of every joko, no matter what the situation in any match.

All matches will be played at Mungia, (1)(2) the "Cathedral" of long court Pala (Pala Larga (1)(2)).

Complete tournament information (.pdf format, 12p), including match schedule and partnerships, rules of the tournament, and a listing of past winners going back to 2007. (Source: Munduko Pilota Batzarra).

The players:

Delanteros (Front): Pablo Fusto; Ibon Garate; Esteban Gaubeka; Dan Necol
Zagueros (Back): Iker Gordon; Xabier Ibargarai; Ibai Perez; Inaki Urrutia

Note: Garate won a 2 match play-in v Ander Landeta for the 4th front court position.

InnPala Player pages

NOTE: PREVIOUS WINNERS SINCE 2007 LISTING HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST

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Pre-Tournament qualifying round--February 22-23 and Jornada (Day) 1, March 1, 2019 ; Jornada 2, March 8 ; Jornada 3, March 15 ; Jornada 4, March 22 ; Jornada 5,  March 29;  Jornada 6, April 5

Final and 3rd Place Match: April 13

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Tournament preview article (Deia). Also has a feature on Ibon Garate.

Preview article (El Correo)

END OF FIRST HALF OF LEAGUE PHASE

Cumulative First Half Table

Player-(match wins-losses: joko w-l, league points)

Delantero (front)

Fusto  (2-1; (2-3,3-2,3-2); 160)

Necol  (2-1; (3-2,1-3,3-1); 160)

Gaubeka(1-2; (2-3,3-1,2-3); 160)
Garate (1-2; (3-2,2-3,1-3); 120)

Zaguero (back)

Ibai Perez (3-0; (3-2,3-1,3-2); 200)

Urrutia    (2-1; (3-2,3-2,2-3); 160)

Ibargarai  (1-2; (2-3,2-3,3-1); 160)

Gordon     (0-3; (2-3,1-3,1-3); 80)

A quick look at the overall table shows just how competitive the League phase has been through its first half. 6 matches have been played. 4 have gone the full 5 jokos. Two of those went down to the final point. The other two ended 10-6 and 10-8. Ibai Perez, after a sub-par play in series in which he was 0-2 (1-6 jokos), has a perfect 3-0 record and, more importantly, leads all player with 9 jokos won. Urrutia, after losing the latest 5 joko match, is still very much in the running for a place in the finals. Ibargarai, who lost his first two matches and was in serious trouble, had a big win on March 15 and immediately brought himself back into contention. Gordon is the only back man out of contention at the moment, but he is just one big win away from getting right back into it.

Among the front court there is a logjam at the top, with the veterans Fusto and Gaubeka where they expected to be in a long court tournament, and Necol, after a damaging loss, coming right back with a big win. Garate trails, but any kind of win next week gets him back into contention. All in all, this is a terrific competition. Fans of this championship can only hope the second half is as compelling as the first.

March 15, 2019

Jornada (Day) 3

Promotion Poster (InnPala Twitter)

Both matches: Full match video (EITB: N-I v Ga-Go (0:00-54:50); F-IP v G-U (54:52--2:09:02 on video)

Match article on both matches: (Mundo Deportivo)

Match article for both matches (InnPala Fronton Facebook--also 7 photos)

Necol (2-1, 7-6, 160)-Ibargarai (1-2, 7-7, 160) 3

Garate (1-2, 6-8, 120)-Gordon (0-3, 4-9, 80) 1

(10-4, 10-9, 7-10, 10-3) (37-26)

(InnPala Twitter--linescore and photo)

Linescore (match winners always listed first) (EITB)

Joko (set) 1: 0-1; 1-1; 1-2; 9-2; 9-4; 10-4

J2: 1-0; 1-2; 2-2; 2-5; 5-5; 5-7; 8-7; 8-8; 9-8; 9-9; 10-9 

J3: 1-0; 1-3; 2-3; 2-4; 4-4; 4-6; 6-6; 6-9; 7-9; 7-10

J4: 2-0; 2-1; 3-1; 3-2; 9-2; 9-3; 10-3

Scoring (EITB):

Necol +13 -3; Ibargarai +8 -9

Garate +8 -5; Gordon +7 -11 (Note: individual scoring adds to 37-27)

Balls in Play: 289

Necol 74

Ibargarai 73

Garate 61

Gordon 81

Time of match: 48:16

This week fans got to see the two matches, as EITB was on the job, providing the excellent TV coverage we have become accustomed to. There is something special about long court Pala, and it is great to be able to watch and see back to a past when much more of it was played. 

Last week Dan Necol talked about the positives of his team's 1-3 loss. He mentioned that the joko won could be important. Some might have felt he was trying to "make lemonade out of  lemons," but of course, he was correct. Professional sportsmen must have a short memory, must always see the positive in every situation, and bring their best game to the fronton. When the best play the best on a roster that is this concentrated, there are going to be good and bad days for everyone. In this match, which was pretty much a must win situation, both he and Ibargarai, who was in the same place among the back court players as Necol was in the front, outmatched Garate-Gordon from beginning to end. N-I established their dominance during an 8 point run that easily won the first joko. In the second joko they came back from 2-5 and 5-7 deficits to win again. G-G fought hard to win J3, scoring 4 of the last 5 points. But any momentum they might have gained was neutralized by a 6 point N-I run that settled the issue early in the 4th joko. Necol had a big day (+13 -3) including a very impressive behind the back shot late in the match, as well as some more orthodox two wall shots. Ibargarai provided good support in the back. All in all, this match was just what the Doctor ordered for N-I.  

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Fusto(d) (2-1, 8-7, 160)-Ibai Perez (3-0, 9-5, 200) 3

Gaubeka (1-2, 7-7, 160)-Urrutia (2-1, 8-7, 160) 2

(10-8, 6-10, 10-3, 8-10, 10-7) (44-38)

(InnPala Twitter--linescore and photo)

Linescore (match winners always listed first) (EITB)

J1: 0-1; 1-1; 1-3; 3-3; 3-5; 4-5; 4-7; 9-7; 9-8; 10-8 

Fusto +4 -0 Ibai Perez +2 -2; Gaubeka +6 -2 Urrutia +0 -2

125 balls in play: Fusto 34 Ibai Perez 30; Gaubeka 34 Urrutia 27

J2: 0-2; 1-2; 1-5; 2-5; 2-7; 3-7; 3-8; 6-8; 6-10

Fusto +1 -4 Ibai Perez +1 -1; Gaubeka +5 -1 Urrutia +0 -3

63 bip; Fusto 13 Ibai Perez 16; Gaubeka 16 Urrutia 18

J3: 2-0; 2-2; 8-2; 8-3; 10-3

Fusto +5 -0 Ibai Perez +3 -1; Gaubeka +2 -1 Urrutia +0 -1

91 bip; Fusto 27 Ibai Perez 22; Gaubeka 27 Urrutia 15

J4: 0-2; 1-2; 1-3; 4-3; 4-4; 6-4; 6-6; 8-6; 8-10

Fusto +3 -2 Ibai Perez +0 -2; Gaubeka +4 -1 Urrutia +2 -4
94 bip: Fusto 21 Ibai Perez 26; Gaubeka 24 Urrutia 23

J5: 0-3; 2-3; 2-4; 5-4; 5-5; 6-5; 6-6; 8-6; 8-7; 10-7

Fusto +3 -2 Ibai Perez +4 -1; Gaubeka +4 -2 Urrutia +1 -1 (Note: individual EITB scoring on this joko adds to 10-8, and for the match to 44-39 (see below)).

137 bip: Fusto 33 Ibai Perez 37; Gaubeka 34 Urrutia 33

Scoring:

Fusto +16 -8; Ibai Perez +10 -7

Gaubeka +21 -7; Urrutia +3 -11

Balls in Play: 510

Fusto 128

Ibai Perez 131

Garate 135

Urrutia 116

Time of match: 70:05

This was an amazing, 70 minute struggle that, except for the 3rd joko, G-U controlled much of. But they lost the lead late in the 1st joko and early in the 5th, and so came up a bit short. Between those lost leads, they saved the 4th joko and the match by coming back from an 8-6 deficit to win. Two points highlighted the match for me. In the 3rd joko, the 3-2--4-2 point featured a wonderful battle at the front between the  two most senior players on the roster, one over 40 and the other nearing it. F-IP won that point, and cruised the rest of the way in that set. The other was the 2-4--3-4 point in the 5th joko, a 30 ball point that Fusto won with raw power, sending a shot which found the back wall that Urrutia was unable to return. Rebote shots are inherently difficult in Pala because of the implement, and almost impossible from the back of a 54 meter court. That point helped F-IP overcome the 2 point deficit and go on to take a 5-4 lead, which they were able to hold on to to win the match. Both Fusto and Gaubeka had the same strategy, which was to use the entire court. Fusto scored 10 of his 16 points with high and deep shots. Gaubeka did the same, scoring 10 of his 21 points with the same type of shots. They pretty much neutralized each other. The difference came in the back, where Ibai Perez had an excellent match, showing great mobility and shot making that yielded him 10 winners. In the 5th joko Urrutia seemed to be a bit unsure about the big court, faulting after his team had opened up the joko at 3-0. He  faulted badly at other times during the match, once missing the front wall entirely. This is not particularly surprising. Placing serves from an area that is barely, if at all, even present on a short court, has to be a difficult assignment. 

With all this, the score was tied at 6-6 after Gaubeka won a point with a deep shot. The next point, a 12 ball point, was won by F-IP when G-U seemed to have a miscommunication. Gaubeka tried to return a ball that seemed on its way off the court, while Urrutia, who was behind him, did not tell him to let it go. That was followed by a service ace. A 16 ball point won by G-U cut their deficit to 8-7, but then Fusto settled the matter with two high and deep winners. Finally, the 510 ball struggle was over. 

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Table:

Player-(match wins-losses: joko w-l, points)

Delantero (front)

Fusto (2-1; 8-7; 160)

Necol (2-1; 7-6; 160)

Gaubeka (1-2; 7-7; 160)

Garate (1-2; 6-8; 120)

Zaguero (back)

Ibai Perez (3-0; 9-5; 200)

Urrutia (2-1; 8-7; 160)

Ibargarai (1-2; 7-7; 160)

Gordon (0-3; 4-9; 80)

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SCHEDULE FOR THE 6 WEEK ROUND ROBIN LEAGUE PHASE 

March 1, 2019:

Gaubeka-Gordon v Garate-Urrutia

Fusto-Ibargarai v Necol-Ibai Perez

March 8:

Garate-Ibargarai v Fusto Urrutia

Gaubeka-Ibai Perez v Necol-Gordon

March 15:

Necol-Ibargarai v Garate-Gordon

Gaubeka-Urrutia v Fusto-Ibai Perez

March 22:

Garate-Gordon v Gaubeka-Urrutia

Fusto-Ibai Perez v Necol-Ibargari

March 29:

Garate-Urrutia v Fusto-Ibargarai

Gaubeka-Gordon v Necol-Ibai Perez

April 5:

Garate-Ibargarai v Necol-Gordon

Gaubeka-Ibai Perez v Fusto-Urrutia

League pairs that will not play together:

Fusto-Gordon

Garate-Ibai Perez

Gaubeka-Ibargarai

Necol-Urrutia

April 13: Final

#1 delantero (front)-#1 zaguero (back) v #2 (d)-#2 (z)

Source: Munduko Pilota Batzarra "dossier"

For an up to date accounting of the win-loss records of the InnPala players, and a cumulative accounting of their rankings, see the "InnPala Players win-loss records and independent matches" Page on the right side of the blog.

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Previous Tournament Winners (since 2007)

2007: Urkia-Imanol 45 Gaubeka-Velilla 33 Match article (Naiz)

2008: Fusto-Larrinaga 45 Ziskar II-Galan 35 Match article (Naiz)

2009: Gaubeka-Beldarrain 45 Urkia-Lujan 33 Match article (Naiz)

2010: Ziskar II-Imanol 40 Fusto-Ayerbe 24 Match article (EITB)

2011: No Competition

2012: Gaubeka-Ayerbe 3 Altadill-Lujan 1 (12-8, 6-12, 12-11, 12-8) (42-39)

Match article (InnPala)

2013: Fusto-Larrinaga 3 Gaubeka-Ayerbe 0 (10-8, 10-7, 10-6) Match article (Diario Vasco) Complete Results (InnPala)

2014: Zubiri-Imanol 3 Fusto-Urkijo 2 (3-10, 6-10, 10-6, 10-8, 10-7) (39-41) Match article (Munduko Pilota Batzarra) video of final point (EITB) Complete Results (InnPala)

2015: Fusto-Ibargarai 3 Gaubeka-Ibai Perez 1 (10-8, 10-9, 2-10, 10-8) (32-35) Match article (Munduko Pilota Batzarra)

2016: Fusto-Brefel 3 Gaubeka-Imanol 2 (10-8, 8-10, 10-6, 7-10, 10-7) (45-41) Match article (Deia) BLOG POST (scroll to Pala) (unfortunately, EITB has removed the full match video)

2017: Fusto-Ibai Perez 3 Gaubeka-Imanol 2 (4-10, 9-10, 10-8, 10-8, 10-8) (43-44) BLOG POSTS THAT COVER ENTIRE TOURNAMENT; Munduko Pilota Batzarra Tournament coverage; video of final point and closing ceremony (EITB); (unfortunately, EITB has removed the full match video).

2018: Fusto-Ibargarai 3 Landeta-Gordon 1 (10-9, 9-10, 10-5, 10-8) Munduko Pilota Batzarra Tournament coverage; Full match video (EITB)

Since 2007 in Finals

Fusto (d front) 6-2 (4 in a row from 2015-2018, and 5 of the last 6)

Gaubeka (d front) 2-5

Imanol (z back) 3-2

Ayerbe (z back) 1-2

Larrinaga (z back) 2-0

Ibargarai (z back) 2-0

Urkia (d front) 1-1

Ziskar II (d front) 1-1

Ibai Perez (z back) 1-1

Lujan (z back) 0-2

Belderain (d front) 1-0

Zubiri (d front) 1-0

Brefel (z back) 1-0

Velilla (z back) 0-1

Galan (z back) 0-1

Urkijo (z back) 0-1

Altadill (d front) 0-1

Landeta (d front) 0-1

Gordon (z back) 0-1