Lakeland Palms Win AFPL Pro League This Week Ep. 13: Stop 4: Michael Shaw's Bloody Nose, the Rule 10.J Hat Point, and a One-Game Tiebreak in Jacksonville
Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/7xvabuyLRtA
Stop 4 at The Hub in Jacksonville was the craziest event the All Florida Pro League has ever put on. A brand new stop champion. A three way tie broken by one game. A hat that fell off on match point and flipped an entire pool. And a guy who played a professional match with a tampon in his nose.
"Everybody knows I am in it for the drama, baby," David Tabb said. Jacksonville delivered.
Lakeland Finally Breaks Through
The Lakeland Palms had never won a stop this season and came into Saturday sitting sixth. They left as stop 4 champions after going 3-0 in the afternoon pool and taking the final, with two brand new players in the lineup.
Michael Shaw was the engine. He dealt with a bloody nose in pool play, then cramped up a few points into the dream breaker of the final and could barely walk off the court. He warmed himself back up on the sideline, came back out, and was excellent the rest of the way. He told Hugh afterward he was lucky he could walk at all. Call it the bloody sock moment of pro pickleball.
Sharienne Ricardo deserves her own line. The quietest player on that roster off the court was ripping shots in the dream breaker that had the crowd on its feet. Better still: Palms coach Nate could not be in Jacksonville, so his team went 4-0 and celebrated the title with him while he watched from home.
The Morning Pool Came Down to One Game
The Jacksonville Ballers, St Pete Iceburgs and Miami Blaze all finished 2-1, and nobody knew who was advancing even after every match was played. The tiebreak was games won. The Blaze finished 9-6. The Ballers and Iceburgs both sat at 8-7. One game separated a trip to the stop final from going home.
Miami did it without Jake Bower for the second straight stop while he took silver in singles on the APP tour overseas. Ben Yue was outstanding, Ellie Skingley and Gianna Jarman played their tails off, and Christian Franke filled in as the substitute. Miami is now third and 3.5 points from a bye.
The Ballers home stop did not go to plan, and it did not help that Ahmad El-Zarif got hurt, forcing Jared Cohen into a singles matchup against Kamden Bradstreet with a stop final berth on the line.
The Hat Point, and Rule 10.J
Match point, Iceburgs versus Ballers, dream breaker. Arielle Nealy's hat came off. The ball from Alexa Quintanilla went out. The Iceburgs celebrated and the Ballers went straight to the referee. If that point had gone the other way, Jacksonville was 3-0 and the Blaze were out.
David called the referee alliances to get it right. Rule 10.J: a hat falling on the court during a point is nothing. No fault, no replay, play on. The only way it becomes a fault is if it drops into the non-volley zone after a volley.
Here is the wrinkle even David made them repeat back to him. Under USAP rules, which the AFPL follows, a hat on the ground is part of the court, so a ball hitting it out of bounds is still out. Under UPA rules, that hat is still part of the player, and the same shot would have won Alexa the point. Two rule books, opposite outcomes.
Derek Prince was on the call and handled it perfectly. Knowing the rules is part of being a professional. It is not what you feel, it is what the rule says.
Standout Players
Andi Godwin, Sarasota Manatees. The 16 year old was this week's interview and she was outstanding. She was the very last pick of the draft, which David dubbed "Mrs. Irrelevant" on draft night, and she has played with that chip on her shoulder ever since. She started at the end of COVID because her four older brothers picked it up, and says pro pickleball is far more mental than physical.
Ben Yue, Miami Blaze. He wore his season one Blaze shirt to a season three stop final, won the morning pool as the mixed doubles demon, and has been the most consistent force in this league for three straight seasons.
Arielle Nealy, St Pete Iceburgs. Her first stop after the trade from Punta Gorda, and she took over the dream breaker against the Ballers. She figured out she is a left side player and it shows.
Looking Ahead to Lakeland
Nobody is eliminated and the top two byes are not settled. GNV Chomp sit three points out of a playoff spot after a strong day from Sam Gabet and Carlos Subero. The O-Town Bangers, with back to back champion BK alongside Emanuel Dickson, Mia Turcsany and Myles Call, went 0-3 and are on the verge of missing the postseason. Punta Gorda, meanwhile, finally got on the board with their first match win of the season.
Stop 5 is at Lakeland Pickleball Academy, fully indoors this year, and the minor league side is already sold out with vendors buying tables just to be in the building. This time the Palms come home as reigning stop champions. As David put it: players, you better be ready.
Subscribe
Catch the full breakdown on the episode: https://youtu.be/7xvabuyLRtA
Subscribe for weekly pro pickleball coverage and follow @pbproleagues so you do not miss the Lakeland preview.
Also sign up for free for Fantasy Pickleball presented by 1-800-Ask-Dave at https://app.pbproleagues.com/afpl/fantasy.