Divino Regaining Confidence as Gamblers Improve to No. 2 in PBR Team Series

By: Justin Felisko

NASHVILLE – Eight months ago, there was a distinct chance Lucas Divino may have never become a member of the Austin Gamblers.

Divino was struggling to begin the 2022 season and he was trying to battle his way out of the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour and back onto the Unleash The Beast circuit.

The 28-year-old looked at his bank account in dismay. His up-and-down start to the season resulted in him having earned only $6,000.

Divino would come home and look at his son, David, and think maybe he should think about a new career. Maybe retiring was the best option.

The Nova Crixas, Brazil, native had doubts that he could ever return to his prior form since undergoing reconstructive left hip surgery that had kept him out of competition for four months in 2021.

“I got to a point and I looked at my little son and I didn’t have money,” Divino admitted. “My friends had to help me out, and I don’t have the words to thank God enough.”

There was also a firm believer in Divino at home.

His wife, Taylor.

“She told me, ‘You are not going to stop. You are going to keep going no matter what.’”

Divino listened to Taylor and eventually turned around his 2022 season, qualifying for his fourth-consecutive World Finals and finishing 17th in the world standings. He also earned just shy of $100,000.

His strong finish to the season also led to him being selected by the Austin Gamblers with the first pick of the third round of the 2022 PBR Team Series Draft, presented by ZipRecruiter, on May 22.

Divino cashed in for his teammates on Friday night at Stampede Days as the Gamblers defeated the Arizona Ridge Riders 175.25-85.25 in a battle for second place.

Divino got Austin on the board first against Arizona in a battle for second place in the PBR Team Series standings with an 87.75-point ride on Twisted Feather. Two-time World Champion Jose Vitor Leme then put the Gamblers further in front with his 87.5-point ride on Jojo after the Ridge Riders briefly had closed the gap to 2.5 points with Sandro Batista’s 85.25-point ride on Tiger.

“Yes, I’m very happy I was able to support my team and cover my bull,” Divino said. “I was having a hard time before, but I just needed this one. I hope I can keep playing like this.”

Divino had begun Teams competition 0-for-3 and been rotating in and out of the lineup through the first three weeks of the season.

Austin Gamblers coach Michael Gaffney has been tinkering with his lineup since Cheyenne, attempting to find running mates for Leme.

Leme leads the PBR Team Series with eight qualified rides.

“We’ve seen several of them (on all teams) struggle with this platform, which I think I try to look at it from my perspective of there’s a lot of pressure on them to do well for their team and teammates,” Gaffney said. “To see that, they feel accountable for their teammates, is a good thing and I think they’ll settle in soon.”

Leme and Divino are good friends, but even Leme said he could not pinpoint exactly why Divino had struggled some.

Divino attended a practice session with Leme and friends this week in Decatur and that has him ready to turn things around it appears.

“Sometimes you have that problem, and we just don’t know what’s going on,” Leme said. If we know, we can fix it. If you don’t know, it’s harder. He’s doing good and he’s practicing hard.”

The Gamblers (5-3, Stampede Days 1-0) take on the Carolina Cowboys (4-4, Stampede Days 1-0) next.

Fans can catch all four games from Bridgestone Arena Saturday night live on RidePass on Pluto TV at 7:45 p.m. ET.

“It’s been pretty good, I’m learning a lot with my teammates,” Divino concluded. “Before we were not that close as a team, but now we’re doing 100% and it’s different and I can tell this is helping me a lot.”

SATURDAY GAME SCHEDULE (7:45 p.m. ET RidePass on Pluto TV)

Austin (5-3, Stampede Days 1-0) vs. Carolina (4-4, Stampede Days 1-0)
Oklahoma (3-5, Stampede Days 0-1) vs. Missouri (6-1, Stampede Days 0-1)
Kansas City (3-5, Stampede Days 0-1) vs. Arizona (4-4, Stampede Days 0-1)
Texas (1-0, Stampede Days 1-0) vs. Nashville (2-6, Stampede Days 0-1)

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jeflisko

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media

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