Simon versus Pedro
By Mike Begley & Pablo del Pino
Perhaps I am lazy but I had no time to cover our sensational second round match-ups including the Cat Stevens’ father & son matchup, the Ohio to Brooklyn connection or even Pat and Adrian’s friendly rivalry so I focused on the most intriguing series between Simon and Pedro.
In what could be defined as the baby finals this second round clash may churn out this years favorite to win the WBA championship. Both teams suffered serious setbacks during the regular season without which would have propelled either to the number one seed in the league. Both teams currently face a significant injury: Gabon’s loss of Bohdan Marak. Albacete’s loss of Klaas Binsenshaum. Both teams are also hungry to defeat Paris (if Paris advances past Cancun).
We also have two contrasting personalities. For an insight into the psyche of Pedro Alcaraz we consulted fellow Spaniard former GM Pablo del Pino who had this to say:
Pedro es un joven valiente y aventurero que siempre está en busca de emocionantes aventuras. Con su ingenio y valentía, Pedro ha logrado superar numerosos desafíos y enemigos a lo largo de sus historias. Su carácter optimista y su espíritu indomable lo convierten en un personaje inolvidable para todos aquellos que han seguido sus hazañas.
Clearly high praise for Pedro’s adventurous nature and ability to overcome obstacles. This was evident in the first major chess move between the two: Timocrates Stathakis. Moved from point guard to center confounding Gabon and resulting in an Albacete win in Gabon.
How will Simon respond to this shift to small ball strategy? Well we consulted Pablo del Pino for some insight in Drapeu’s personality:
Por otro lado, Simón es un personaje más introspectivo y romántico. Con su sensibilidad y creatividad, Simón ha conquistado con sus historias llenas de magia y fantasía. A través de sus aventuras, Simón nos invita a soñar y a creer en la belleza del mundo que nos rodea.
To this end Pablo added that he believes Pat is also Simon.
Patrick Jeremiah Fullum, known as “Simon” in the community, was asked to sum up his coaching philosophy, Fullum said, “The only way to get better in basketball is to wear a uniform and actually play basketball.” Fullum chooses players who are not afraid of hard work and discipline, then just lets them go to work.
Clearly Pablo’s outrageous comments offer no significant insights into either GM’s psyche. And as such we have no way to predict how the rest of this series will unfold. Klaas returning from injury and Albacete regaining home court advantage tips the scale back to Albacete. Gabon is missing too much offensive firepower in Marak’s absence and seems like a team now deflated.
Will Gabon bounce back and take control of the series? Only Artie Duggons can say.