Alves Leads Team Union Home Mortgage to Thrilling Walk-Off Victory Over Team Wrangler

By: Justin Felisko

PUEBLO, Colo. – Three-time World Champion Silvano Alves could feel the energy pulsating off his teammates at the Pendleton Whisky Let ‘Er Buck Saloon at South Point Arena.

Mason Taylor, Luciano de Castro and Marcus Mast were full of anticipation as their captain prepared his bull rope for Team Union Home Mortgage’s final ride of the night against Team Wrangler.

The game had already become the most exciting among the first three games of the Monster Energy Team Challenge with five lead changes.

Now the hopes of Team Union Home Mortgage rested on the shoulders of the legendary Alves.

All that stood between Union Home Mortgage and a walkoff victory was 8 seconds of work by Alves against a bull – Gambini – that was a perfect 2-0 against him.

Alves was coldblooded, though, and dominated Gambini for 85 points and a thrilling walk-off victory (337-257.25) to end the first night of competition of the Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by U.S. Border Patrol.

“I know I can ride any bull here at this competition,” a confident Alves told PBR.com by phone late Friday night. “I am ready for right now. This time. My head is up, and I am focused, and that’s it.”

Alves brushed off any talk about the pressure of the moment, noting he simply approached the final ride the same way he would as if he were attempting to win a World Championship or a regular event.

 
All he needed to do was make the 8-second mark, something only four other men in PBR history have done more times than him.

“I saw it was the last ride because of the re-ride, and I saw all my team had my back,” Alves said. “There was momentum for me to win. I had to stay calm, stay focused, pull my rope and keep all my stuff correct. I have to have faith in God that I can do it. That is it.

“I was just thinking I have to keep riding my bulls, that’s it.”

Alves had received the re-ride option after he was unable to get out of the chute with Roll Tide.

Colten Jesse then failed to increase Team Wrangler’s (0-1) slim 5.25-point lead when he was bucked off by Blue Fire in 3.44 seconds, setting the stage for Alves’s walk-off heroics.

Alves expressed frustration prior to climbing aboard Gambini because there was confusion over who the re-ride bull was. Originally, Alves believed Uncle Gangster was the re-ride. Then he became confused over the fact that his actual re-ride bull, Gambini, was listed on the pre-event daysheet as a right-handed delivery and was then swapped to a left.

“About the re-ride, the list changed,” Alves said. “The bull was listed on one side, and then he was on the other side. I told the guys I don’t care about the bull bucking on either side, just correct the list. It is important for the game.”

Alves channeled his emotions, though, and got some help from Gambini along the way.

Just as two-time World Champion Justin McBride predicted may be a possibility on CBS Sports Network, Gambini left the chutes backward and spun right into Alves’ right riding hand.

Game. Set. Match.

“Mentally, I was focused on him starting to the left and then going back to the right, but I don’t know,” Alves said. “He kicked inside the chute and turned to the right.”

Alves put on quite the performance for Team Union Home Mortgage, lifting his team to victory in the toughest game of the night and putting it on top of the early Division A standings.

“Well, that’s exactly what you expect right there,” McBride said. “Silvano made a really nice ride on a nice re-ride bull in Gambini. I don’t think he held onto the gate too long or anything like that. Gambini turned out backwards. Silvano took full advantage of it. That was just a nice job by the captain, sealing the deal for his team.”

Earlier in Round 1, Alves already sacrificed his body, taking a head-butt from All It Takes at the end of his 82-point ride.

 
“I had a good bull in the first round,” Alves said. “The bull moved forward at the last second, and he put me over on the other side. I was just trying to hold for 8 seconds and he gave me a shot to my head. It was just enough to hit me, but nothing bad. I am a little sore, but I will be strong for the next bull.”

McBride commended Alves for stepping up for his team.

“Three-time champ of the world took charge, took control of his team, stacked up two good rides for them, and that’s enough for them to get the win,” McBride said. “That was a good game, right there. That was a really competitive, back-and-forth game.”

Alves commended Team Wrangler for being a tough challenge on the opening night of competition. The game ended with six total lead changes.

Team Wrangler received an impressive 2-for-2 showing from Roscoe Jarboe, but lost Brennon Eldred for Saturday night’s game against Can-Am (0-1) because of a concussion. Joseph McConnel is replacing Eldred in the draw Saturday.

“Team Wrangler was head-to-head with us,” Alves said. “This was great for people watching on TV.”

Taylor told Kate Harrison on CBS Sports Network that his captain’s leadership impressed him on Friday night with the pressure on his shoulders at the end.

“It was all up to him,” Taylor said. “I just tried to do my job, ride both bulls I got on. I definitely let one get by me. I’m just glad I got the team that I do, and hopefully we’ll keep the ball rolling.”

Union Home Mortgage leads Team Cooper Tires by 0.75 points in the Division A standings with both teams tied at 1-0 heading into Saturday night’s slate of games.

The two are set for a showdown Sunday on national television with the CBS Game of the Week set to air at 12:30 p.m. ET.

First, Union Home Mortgage will take on Team Las Vegas (1-0) Saturday night after Vegas squeaked by Team YETI 88.25-0.

Team Union Home Mortgage vs. Team Las Vegas begins at 9:45 p.m. ET (RidePass/CBS Sports Network).

Alves has drawn Milk Man (27-12, all levels) and Tested Crazy (24-4, all levels), and Union Home Mortgage will be making no lineup changes compared to their Friday lineup.

Taylor (85.75 points on Ain’t Done Yet) and Castro (84.25 points on Anthrax) both went 1-for-2 Friday against Team Wrangler.

“I am very happy about my team because all of the guys ride great tonight,” Alves concluded. “Good job by them. They fell off (in Round 2), but that is part of the game.”

Professional Bull Riders – Team Challenge
Las Vegas, NV, 2020
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2-Event Aggregate-Event Points)

1. Roscoe Jarboe, 84.75-86.25-171.00
2. Silvano Alves, 82-85-167.00
3. Colten Jesse, 86.25-0-86.25
4. Mason Taylor, 85.75-0-85.75
5. Luciano De Castro, 84.25-0-84.25
Brennon Eldred, 0-0-0.00
Marcus Mast, 0-0-0.00
Joseph McConnel, 0-0-0.00

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

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