Thriller in Markina

It was kind of Ali-Frazier in boxing, some sort of Thriller in Manila years ago, but in Jai-Alai version and the place was the town of Markina, home of hundreds and hundreds of players. A Challenge of the Century could be read in the posters of the Fronton, the famous University of jai-Alai. Best match possible. Goikoetxea and Enbil vs. Egiguren-Lopez.
Lots of people in the audience, lots of ex-players, some on vacation from Florida, others just for the sake of watching jai-alai, great jai-alai. I saw Bengoa, Goio, Echeva, Elorrio, Katxin Uriarte, Chasio II, Carea... you name it! All of us wishing to enjoy with good shots, great rebotes... making comparisons with players of other epochs. State of the art jai-alai yesterday in Markina. Just before the beginning of the game, the corredores (bookies) were singing in favor of Goiko and Enbil, 60 euros to 100. There was not question that the catedraticos' (people who bet) choice favored the six times World Champions. First point lasted about five minutes, a premonition of what was coming. A tough fight, ups and downs on the scoreboard. Thriller. Partidos are long matches and you can not tell who will win till the 25 point, that`s the line were most games are decided. Yesterday was not an exception. Thriller in Markina, no doubt about it. Four of them want it to win.
26 even on the scoreboard. Till them Goiko was trying hard, Throwing like a beast, smashing the front wall; Enbil playing the roleof the loyal centurion taking care of his Emperor, covering the chula, hardly missing a point. Egi did his best and most of the times he did it weel, few ocassions to show his remate though. How about Lopez? Shotgun Lopez.... Yesterday he played like always, catching a lot, reachind the back wall so easyly, but that was not enough. Number one back-courter has to do more. He did not play agressive enough with his explosive lefthand, reverse shot. Lopez seemed to be afraid of shooting long shots that would reached the back wall and would allow Goiko to kill with his rebote. Shotgun Lopez showed yesterday his defensive face instead of a fierce attack.
The only way that Egi and Lopez can beat the Emperor and his loyal Centurion is if the game would last 20 points, that`s what Katxin Uriarte told me while we were watching the game.
When they were tied at 26, suddenly, Goiko started offering his best jai-alai, smashing cortadas, a serie picadas, two carom shots, great rebotes... It seemed like he was saying, "Hey guys, party is over, time to go home, I`m the One, let me show you now what jai-alai is all about". And he did it. Point by point, shot by shot, they knock down Egi and Lopez who were playing fairly well till the bell wrang and Goiko made his final rush leaving behind the rest but Enbil, his travel companion. 35-28, the final result.
The match was good, they worked hard, about 90 minutes of long points, some good remates, not too many because the balls were fast and dont allow the frontcourter to catch the ball confortably enough to execute remates. What I missed yesterday was a more aggresive Lopez, he is got a tremendous reverse, he can do a lot of damage but playing like yesterday he seemed to be dancing ballet instead of hunting in the wild, shotgun in hand.
The only way that Eugi and Lopez can beat Goiko and Enbil is if the partido would last 20 points and not 35. Katxin Uriarte dixit.