Ball: Victory as rushed as deserved

When Altuna III and Ander Imaz balanced the haunting for them 16-20 thanks to three consecutive errors from Peio Etxeberria, including a serve foul, and thanks to a good right hand behind the Amezketarra forward, the positive inertia brought by the second classified of the Masters CaixaBank, based on four consecutive victories, invited to believe that they would be able to reach 22 before their rivals. The substitute of the injured Jaka and his defender, Albisu, saw a game in danger that they played better and that seemed under his control at 16-20 this Sunday in Elgoibar.

The outcome could be another because with 20-20 in the electronic Altuna III and Ander Imaz had both done. They dominated. They lacked an accurate shot or one of those hits back with no possible response. After defending tooth and nail, the Blues took command and defined Albisu with a right hand close to the rebound. Imaz’s defensive botivolea flew over the high plate of the front. The ataundarra defender himself closed the match with another blow close to eight: 20-22.

It was a victory as rushed as it was deserved that is worth the fifth point to Peio Etxeberria and Albisu, re-hooked to the classification. Whatever happens this afternoon in the second visit of the Masters to the fronton of the Ikastola, they will end the tenth day with a triumph of the fourth place, the last one that gives access to the semifinals. And watch out for another data: they surpass yesterday’s rivals in the particular average, who are separated by two points. They also beat them in the first round.

Peio Etxeberria and Albisu They have started this adventure on the right foot, the duration of which will depend on the date of Jaka’s return, who has been diagnosed by doctors as convalescing for three weeks due to the rupture of fibers in the internal twin of his right leg. The explosive Zenotz forward and Ataun defender’s first experience together, not in this tournament but throughout their careers, ended in triumph.

They added. Peio Etxeberria parked in the streets of Elgoibar the poster of irregular pelotari to curdle a serious performance. He barely interfered with Albisu’s domination tasks, whom he let do the boat. He defended Altuna III’s attempts to seek his tickles with packaging. They got tangled up on a few occasions. And it failed little. In fact, he had only lost a goal at 16-20. Three of his mistakes in a row gave life to the Colorados. However, he remained calm in the last two goals, just when the pressure was tighter. And that speaks well of this 21-year-old baseball player immersed in his debut at the highest level in the game of couples.

Albisu failed, but decided

Albisu left two aces without subtracting and four were out of bounds in the rally. Ball missed, and that lowers the grade. Now, he commanded the rally with authority, found the left wall to annoy Ander Imaz and was decisive in the hot moments, in the outcome.

Although they touched their eighth triumph, Altuna III and Ander Imaz did not have their best afternoon. The forward was thick. With no spark on the right, he lacked this time the ability to drive opponents out of place. Nor did he draw plays with his left foot, except for the one left to the txoko on 10-11 and the hook on 11-12. He lacked joy. He demands more of himself than he showed.

And that the Elgoibar fronton, of only eight squares and approximately 30 meters, with the raisin in the six and material “old and worn out in other games” in the words of the mayor Jon Apezetxea, seemed appropriate for his conditions and his ability. The court presents another peculiar characteristic. The ball runs a lot from the sixth but stops a lot in the first four frames.

Neither Ander Imaz, as fighter as ever, found too many opportunities to punish back and force returns that would facilitate his forward’s shots. He had few and did not take advantage of them as well as usual.