Campeonato Parejas (Binakako Txapelketa) 1a and Promotion (November 22, 2019--April 5, 2020)
This is the premier professional Mano pairs Championship competition. There are 8 teams. It starts with a double round robin league. The format then changes from previous years. The top two teams go to a Semi-final League. There is a playoff" #3 v #6 and #4 v #5 to determine the other two teams in the Semi-final League (6 post league teams rather than 4). The SF League is a single round robin. The top two SF League finishers play in a Final on April 5, 2020. There is no 3rd place match this year.
ASPE player roster
Baikopilota player roster
The teams (4 from each company A=ASPE; B=Baikopilota
A
Ezkudia-Martija
Altuna III-L. Galarza
Irribarria-Rezusta
Jaka-Zabaleta
B
Oliazola II-Urrutikoetxea
Bengoetxea VI-Marriezkurena
Artola-Imaz
Laso-Albisu
This year sees 3 interesting and perhaps controversial changes, 1 involving format, and 2 involving players.
MY ARTICLE: EXPANDING THE PLAYOFFS AND THE CURIOUS DECISION BY ASPE TO DROP LAST YEAR'S CHAMPION DELANTERO (FRONT), DANEL ELEZKANO, FROM THIS YEAR'S COMPETITION.
Complete Calendar (with complete results back to 2001 (baikopilota.eus)
Selected finalists going back to 1941 (Wikipedia)
Selected finalists going back to 1941 (Wikipedia)
Competition preview (baikopilota.eus)
Note that the results, statistics, match articles (when available), links to full match videos, and selected analysis for the BT/CP Promotion competition can be found below that for the 1a competition.
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Note that the matches are in reverse order as they were originally entered into the current results (right side of the blog) in reverse chronological order in order to have the most current results at the top. If you wish to follow this championship in chronological order, please read them from the bottom up.
The letters next to the players' names denote the company they play for (see above).
Source for all linescores and scoring, unless otherwise specifically stated, is the EITB telecast.
Time per point (see below) is calculated from the total time of the match. I can find no source that consistently keeps track of actual playing time for this competition.
I am experimenting with counting "saves," a variable that perhaps gives a bit of insight into the defensive side of BP sports. I define a save as an excellent play that keeps the point alive. It is, obviously, a subjective judgment, and yours may be different from mine. Saves include going on the apron (running or diving), going into the left wall, backs running far into the front court, fronts covering the back, direct off the front wall returns of very high shots, and backs going behind the 10 line, among others. As a subjective experiment in judgment, I hope to get those with much more knowledge than I interested in keeping the statistic. A save is like art. It may be difficult to define, but one "knows it when one sees it." I will also provide the number of saves as a percentage of the total balls in play.
For each week's results the weekly table, information about each match, and "leader boards" will be provided, in that order.
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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
Post-Season
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Week 8; Week 9; Week 10; Week 11; Week 12; Week 13; Week 14
Post-Season
1A Semi-Final League W 2 and Promotion W 3
1A Semi-Final League W 3
1A Semi-Final League W 3
Promotion FINAL
1A FINAL
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League Table at the end of Week 7 (Match record, Net Points + or -; Consecutive Wins/Losses (under construction), Change in Table (green +; red -)
Altuna-L. Galarza (A) 5-2 +23
Ezkurdia-Martija (A) 4-3 +18
Artola-Imaz (B) 4-3 +3
Laso-Albisu (B) 3-4 -12
Irribarria-Rezusta (A) 3-4 -13
Oliazola II-Urrutikoetxea (B) 2-5 -38
Bengoetxea VI-Mariezkurrena II (B) 1-6 -35
Week 7
First half analysis (21Iguales.com)
Summary: Week 7 marked the halfway point of League play, with ASPE teams dominating, holding 3 of the top 4 places and 4 of the top 6. However, due to the expansion of the post-season to include 2 more teams, all 8 teams are still in contention. The player of the competition so far, in my opinion, is Erik Jaka. He came into this competition replacing a defending champion, with all the pressure that entails. Jaka-Zabaleta's record speaks for itself, with Jaka spearheading the offense, and Zabaleta "holding the fort" with staunch defense. They have an almost 8 point per match lead over their opponents, almost 5 more points per game than 2nd place Altuna III-L. Galartza. But A-G are "on a rampage," winning 5 consecutive matches to end the 1st half. J-Z won the first match against A-G 22-17 and the two teams will play again in 2 weeks. Artola-Imaz began with a 3 match winning streak but have lost 3 of their last 4. Ezkurdia-Martija have had an up and down 1st half, but have won their last 2 matches in convincing fashion. Laso-Albisu have had a 1st half similar to E-M, and find themselves, after a great come from behind victory (see below) tied with E-M at 3-4. One of L-A's wins gave J-Z their only loss. Oliazola II-Urritkoetxea and Bengoetxea VI-Mariezkurrena II are at the foot of the table at 2-5 and 1-6 respectively. In any other season they would be almost out of contention. However, this year, with 6 teams eligible for the "post-season", they are one hot streak away from reaching that goal. Can they do it?
This week was the third consecutive week that we have complete EITB data for all the matches. I am also adding a category that I am compiling as an experiment: Saves. A composite look at the league this week finds the average high quality professional mano match had the following statistical characteristics.
Cumulative total match score: +79 (.545) -66 (.455)
Average total match score: +20 -17 (average match result: 22-15)
Saves: 249 (Again, these are from my judgments. Yours may be different).
Average saves per match: 62
Saves leader this week: Altuna III-28
Average saves %: .127
Cumulative total balls in play: 1961
Average BIP: 490
Average non-error %: .965
Average Match time: about 58:30
Average balls per point: 13.24
Average time per point: 1.35
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January 6
Oliazola II-Urrutikoetxea (B) 13 (EITB--match begins at: 1:33:08)
Highlights (EITB)
Condensed linescore (winners always listed 1st)
0-2; 2-2; 2-4; 3-4; 3-5; 8-5; 8-9; 9-9; 9-10; 16-10; 16-12; 19-12; 19-13; 22-13
5 equal scores, 3 lead changes
Scoring:
Ezkurdia +9(including 1 service ace and 2 "airez"); -4; Martija +3 -3
Oliazola II +6(2 "airez") -5; Urrutikoexea +0 -5
Total scoring for the match: +18 (.514) -17(.486)
Saves: 74
Ezkurdia 25; Martija 11; Oliazola II 24; Urrutikoetxea 14
Saves %: .145
Balls in play: 510
Ezkurdia 140; Martija 119; Oliazola II 117; Urrutikoetxea 134
After the 13th point (8-5 E-M BIP was: 253
Ezkurdia 69; Martija 57 Oliazola II 61; Urrutikoetxea 66
Non-error %: .967
Time of the match: 55:59
Average number of balls per point: 14.57
Average time per point: 1:36
Match article (Deia)
Match article (Mundo Deportivo)
O-U, entering this match with high hopes of getting back into contention following their big win last week over Irribarria-Rezusta, crashed back to earth after a comprehensive defeat by E-M. Key to the win were 5 and 6 point runs by the winners, which basically decided the match. After O-U built a small lead (3-5), Ezkurdia began, according to the press accounts "speeding up the game." Two Oliazola II errors, a powerful Ezurdia two wall shot, and a miscommunication between Oliazola II and Urrutikoetxea that allowed a return that either of them could have taken to fall between them, highlighted the first E-M run. The 2nd run included another error by Oliazola II and another miscommunication that cost O-U a point. But the highlight of the run, the highlight of the match, in my opinion, came on the 25th point (14-10). The 33 ball point (2:10:46-2:12:15 on the video) featured 11 saves, 5 by Ezkurdia (including 1 in the back), and was finished by a great hustling save by Martija, charging in to reach an Oliazola II dejada and turn it into a winner for his team. After that O-U faded badly, scoring only 2 more points. The win put E-M at 4-3 and dropped O-U to 2-5 as the competition enters its 2nd half.
January 5
Artola-Imaz (B) 10 (EITB--match begins at: 59:27)
Highlights (EITB) There is no sound until the post match interviews.
Condensed linescore (winners always listed 1st)
0-2; 4-2; 4-4; 8-4; 8-5; 12-5; 12-6; 18-6; 18-10; 22-10
2 equal scores, 1 lead change
Scoring:
Jaka +12(including 2 service aces and 10 "airez") -4; Zabaleta +5 -3
Artola +3(2 "airez") -5; Imaz +0 -0
Total scoring for the match: +20 (.625) -12 (.375)
Saves: 31
Jaka 4; Zabaleta 6; Artola 13; Imaz 8
Saves %: .084
Balls in play: 367
Jaka 92; Zabaleta 97; Artola 93; Imaz 85
(13 % of Jaka's BIP were winners).
Non-error %: .967
Time of the match: 49:47
Average number of balls per point: 11.47
Average time per point: 1:33
Match article (Deia)
Erik Jaka continues to answer his critics, if there are any left, (see the MY ARTICLE link above), in the best way possible, with his hands, feet, and brain. This was supposed to be a key match in the League phase, J-Z entering with a 5-1 record and A-I (the highest ranking Baikopilota team) at 4-2. J-Z used three 4 point runs and one 6 point run to rout their opponents and remain at the top of the table. And at the heart of the win was a dominating performance by Jaka, who had a +8 scoreline with 12 winners (10 "in the air"--directly off the front wall--kill shots). Zabaleta added 5 winners (a high number for a back) as part of his contribution to the win. They accounted for 17 of their team's 22 points. After an early flourish by Artola that won the 1st 2 points, he made an error on another easy winner that got J-Z started. Once Jaka began slashing pelotas all over the concha, A-I simply had no answer, which became more and more clear by their body language as the match progressed. J-Z definitely put themselves in the "driver's seat" for a bye into the Semi-final League with this win.
January 4
Irribarria-Rezusta (A) 20 (EITB--match begins at: 1:02:54)
Highlights (EITB) Note. There is no sound until the interviews.
Condensed linescore (winners always listed 1st
0-1; 5-1; 5-3; 11-3; 11-4; 12-4; 12-5; 13-5; 13-9; 15-9; 15-12; 16-12; 16-14; 18-14; 18-20; 22-20
3 equal scores, 3 lead changes
Scoring:
Laso +9(including 5 "airez") -6; Albisu +3 -3
Irribarria +8(5 "airez") -6; Rezusta +3 -4
Total scoring for the match: +23 (.548) -19
(.452)
Saves: 75
Laso 21; Albisu 20; Irribarria 21; Rezusta 13
Saves % .138
Balls in play: 543
Laso 128; Albisu 144; Irribarria 148; Rezusta 123
Non-error %: .967
Time of the match: 65:28
Average number of balls per point: 12.93
Average time per point: 1:34
Match article (Mundo Deportivo)
Match article (El Correo)
Match article (Noticias de Gipuzkoa)
This was easily the match of the weekend, one of the best matches of the competition so far, as I-R got off to an awful start, but then clawed their way back, finally taking a late lead, only to see L-A snatch the victory from their hands with a fantastic 4 point run to end it. I-R fought back from 3-11, 4-12, and 5-13 deficits, and when they put together a 6 point run at 14-18, it looked like all the momentum was theirs. But then L-A fought back to equality at 20 (via a Laso dejada winner and a brilliant Albisu cross court winner). This led to the climactic point 2:00:54-2:04:05 on the video)--which begins by replaying Albisu's shot)--, a 63 ball point that featured 10 saves (6 by Irribarria, to no avail). Laso won that point with a left wall shot. When Rezusta couldn't return a ball from deep on the left, the comeback was complete. The match featured, by my count, 75 saves. All but Rezusta, had more than 20. When it was over, L-A had moved into a virtual 5th Place tie in the League (post season "territory" this year).
January 3, 2020
Match Preview (Mundo Deportivo)
Bengoetxea VI-Mariezkurrena (B) II 14 (EITB--match begins at: 1:05:06
Fronton TV Youtube (Castilian)
Highlights (EITB)
Condensed Linescore: (Winners always listed 1st)
1-0; 1-1; 3-1; 3-6; 8-6; 8-9; 13-9; 13-11; 15-11; 15-13; 19-13; 19-14; 22-14
5 equal scores, 4 lead changes
Scoring:
Altuna III +12(including 3 "airez") -5; L. Galarza +0-4
Bengoetxea VI +3(2 "airez") -5; Mariezkurrena II +2 -5
Total scoring for the match: +17 (.472) -19 (.528)
Saves: 69
Altuna III 28; L. Galarza 12; Bengoetxea VI 21; Mariezkurrena II 8
Saves %: .128
Balls in play: 541
Altuna III 149; L. Galarza 126; Bengoetxea VI 139; Mariezkurrena II 127
Non-error %: .965
Time of the match: 61:30
Average balls per point: 15.03
Average time per point: 1:43
Match article (Baikopilota)
A-G, after losing their first 2 matches, have now won 5 consecutive matches, to move into undisputed possession of 2nd place in the League at the halfway point. They won this match over foot of the table B-M (1-6). The match was close until a 7-1 run at the end. Altuna III was at his dominant best on offense (+7 differential with 12 winners), but he also played great defense, thwarting Bengoetxea VI with many of his 28 saves (most by any player this week.
Leader Boards: FORTHCOMING
Leader Boards: FORTHCOMING
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Campeonato Parejas Promocion (November 22, 2019--March 28, 2020)
This is the Premier Promotion Professional Mano Championship. There are 8 teams. It begins with a double round robin league. The top 4 teams move on to a single round robin Semi-final League. The top 2 finishers play a Final on March 28, 2020.
Complete Calendar (with complete results back to 2002 (baikopilota.eus)
Competition preview (baikopilota.eus)
The teams (4 from each company: A=ASPE; B=Baikopilota
A
Egiguren V-Erostarbe
Salaberria-Garmendia
Elordi-O. Etxebarria
Zabala-Ruiz
B
Pena II-Aranguren
Alberdi-Salaverri
Agirre-Eskiroz
Arteaga II-Urreta
League Table at the end of Week 7
Pena-Aranguren (B) 6-1 +28
Elordi-O. Etxebarria (A) 6-1 +26
Egiguren V-Erostarbe(A) 3-4 -2
Arteaga II-Urretabizkaia II (B) 2-5 -12
Salaberria-Garmendia (A) 2-5 -15
Alberdi-Salaverri (B) 2-5 -26
Zabala-Ruiz (A) 1-6 -46
Source for all raw statistics, unless otherwise specifically stated, is the EITB telecast.
Week 7
Summary: This race is quite different from the 1a race above. Baikopilota is having more success,with 2 of the top 4 teams. Three teams are in the "driver's seat to move on to the post-season. But the battle for the 4th and final place is wide open, with 1 match separating 4 teams. It is probable that the 4th place team will have more losses than wins. This is my first time looking closely at this competition. Iker Salaberria, who joined ASPE with much fanfare after a dominant win in the Antiguako Tournament, has been watched closely. He is on a steep learning curve, participating in the Promotion Championship at the very beginning of his career. He has had a testing time, but has shown flashes of the talent that brought him to the "Big League."
Aguirre-Eskiroz' only loss has been to Elordi-O. Etxebarria. Pena-Aranguren's only loss has been to Agirre-Eskiroz. Elordi-O. Etxeberria's only loss has been to Pena-Arenguren The fact that all of the contending teams have beaten each other should make for compelling and interesting viewing during the 2nd half.
As for this week, the Agirre-Eskiroz v Elordi-O. Etxebarria match was one of the best Mano matches I have seen anywhere. You can find the details below. To me, the most amazing thing about this match was Iosu Eskiroz' balls in play, 240! If you want to watch 1 match from the Promotion Tournament, this is the one to watch.
Week 7
Summary: This race is quite different from the 1a race above. Baikopilota is having more success,with 2 of the top 4 teams. Three teams are in the "driver's seat to move on to the post-season. But the battle for the 4th and final place is wide open, with 1 match separating 4 teams. It is probable that the 4th place team will have more losses than wins. This is my first time looking closely at this competition. Iker Salaberria, who joined ASPE with much fanfare after a dominant win in the Antiguako Tournament, has been watched closely. He is on a steep learning curve, participating in the Promotion Championship at the very beginning of his career. He has had a testing time, but has shown flashes of the talent that brought him to the "Big League."
Aguirre-Eskiroz' only loss has been to Elordi-O. Etxebarria. Pena-Aranguren's only loss has been to Agirre-Eskiroz. Elordi-O. Etxeberria's only loss has been to Pena-Arenguren The fact that all of the contending teams have beaten each other should make for compelling and interesting viewing during the 2nd half.
As for this week, the Agirre-Eskiroz v Elordi-O. Etxebarria match was one of the best Mano matches I have seen anywhere. You can find the details below. To me, the most amazing thing about this match was Iosu Eskiroz' balls in play, 240! If you want to watch 1 match from the Promotion Tournament, this is the one to watch.
January 6
Agirre-Eskiroz (B) 21 (EITB--match begins at: 0:00)
Condensed linescore (winners always listed 1st):
0-1; 1-1; 1-3; 2-3; 2-6; 3-6; 3-7; 12-7; 12-9; 14-9; 14-10; 15-10; 15-11; 18-11; 18-16; 19-16; 19-21; 22-21
4 equal scores, 3 lead changes
Final 7 points: 139 balls in play, including point 36 (52) and P 40 (61).
Scoring:
Elordi +9 (including 1 service ace and 5 "airez") -7; O. Etxebarria +0 -1
Agirre +7 (1a, 4 "airez") -7; Eskiroz +6 -6
Total scoring for the match: +22 (.512) -21 (.488)
Balls in play: 793
Elordi 182; O. Etxebarria 215; Agirre 156; Eskiroz 240
Non error %: .974
Time of the match: 84:24
Average number of balls per point: 18:44
Average time per point: 1:58
January 5
Zabala-Ruiz (A) 12 (EITB--match begins at 0:00)
Condensed linescore (winners always listed 1st)
2-0; 2-3; 10-3; 10-4; 12-4; 12-5; 17-5; 17-8; 18-8; 18-10; 21-10; 21-12; 22-12
1 equal score, 2 lead changes
Scoring:
Pena +13 (including 1 service ace and 6 "airez" -1; Aranguren +2 -3
Zabala +7 (6 "airez") -5; Ruiz +1 -2
Total scoring for the match: +23 (.676) -11 (.324)
Balls in play: 491
Pena 133; Aranguren 117; Zabala 116; Ruiz 125
Non-error %: .978
Time of the match: 50:59
Average number of balls in play per point: 14.44
Average time per point: 1:30
January 3
Egiguren V-Erostarbe (A) 16 (EITB--match begins at 0:00)
Condensed linescore (winners always listed 1st)
0-1; 2-1; 2-3; 6-3; 6-4; 7-4; 7-5; 8-5; 8-8; 11-8; 11-9; 12-9; 12-11; 15-11; 15-12; 17-12; 17-13; 18-13; 18-14; 20-14; 20-16; 22-16
3 equal scores, 3 lead changes.
Scoring:
Alberdi +11 -5; Salaverri +3 -2
Egiguren V +8 -6; Erostarbe +1 -2
Total scoring for the match: +23 (.605) -15 (.395)
Balls in Play: 526
Alberdi 134; Salaverri 131; Egiguren V 124; Erostarbe 137
Non-error %: .971
Time of the match: 62:39
Average balls per point: 13.84
Average time per point: 1:39
January 3
Salaberria-Tolosa (substituting for Garmindia (A) 22
Arteaga II-Urretabizkaia II (B) 12
Source: ASPE resultados (temporary) and Baikopilota Campeonato Results (forthcoming but permanent.
I have found no other information about this match.
Leader Board: FORTHCOMING
Leader Board: FORTHCOMING
