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James Youness | PBR
PUEBLO, Colo. – It’s been a long, grueling season in the 5-on-5 world of PBR Teams action.
Yet, at the same time, it feels like the summer slate has gone by quicker than ever, even with an additional two events baked into the year three schedule.
And with the 12th and final regular season showdown set to invade Glendale, Arizona, this weekend for last three days of epic camaraderie-driven action, each of the league’s six teams yet to clinch a spot in the postseason are technically still in the running for the postseason.
Despite being ranked No. 10 overall with just three games remaining in their 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series campaign, the Arizona Ridge Riders are one of those squads.
Preparing to host their homestand PBR Teams: Ridge Rider Days homestand Oct. 4-6 inside Desert Diamond Arena, the Ridge Riders need to win all three games while keeping an eye on teams ranked No. 6 to No. 9 if they are to pull off the heroic feat amidst what should be a rowdy hometown crowd.
Unfortunately for the home team, entering the weekend with an unideal 8-17 record, Arizona can’t compete with the Gamblers and others for the No. 5 spot, as the most wins they can exit the weekend with is 11 (where Austin is already 13-13 and both the Missouri Thunder and Nashville Stampede bring matching 11-15 slates into their head-to-head Week 12-opening affair, meaning one of the two squads will claim a 12th win UNLESS they provide the season’s second tie).
Knowing both the New York Mavericks and Oklahoma Wildcatters bring 10 wins into the affair further complicates matters, as either of the teams would officially eliminate Arizona from an automatic playoff berth if they were to achieve two wins over the weekend (thus getting to 12 total).
The same can be said for the Thunder and Stampede each getting to the 12-win mark.
So, the path is there, but it doesn’t look very promising for Arizona.
Especially when you consider the Gamblers have mathematically claimed one of the two remaining spots and are merely riding to see if they’ll earn the No. 5 or No. 6 seed.
Thankfully for supporters of the southwest squad, technically, a second (and more likely) path exists for the black and white unit to punch their ticket to the 2024 PBR Teams Championship, via the Ride In Round.
That route entails entering the Ride In Round as one of four teams yet to achieve a spot inside T-Mobile Arena and eventually exiting as one of the two teams set to don their riding boots once more.
Having amassed the fifth-highest team aggregate score (4,450.50 points) this season, trailing only the four teams who enter the Week 12 slate having already officially clinched a postseason berth, there’s an argument to be made that the Ridge Riders remain ranked in the top half of the league’s talent pool.
Ranked No. 5 in the league’s qualified ride count, it appears they’ve been able to consistently put up points on the board. They just keep running into the wrong teams at the wrong time, suffering way more close calls than most teams on tour.
Bringing a seven-game losing streak into their homestand this weekend, the skid represents the second long-term down period for the squad, having racked up a different six-game losing streak earlier this summer. So, they aren’t exactly on the hot tails of a momentous turnaround during the series finale.
As a team, they’ve outperformed each of the other three squads likely set to join them inside South Point Hotel & Casino later this month during said Ride In Round. Which gives them an idea to build around should that time and scenario play itself out.
Until then, they’ve got a dedicated fanbase to entertain and some positivity to embrace, something the smiles of Eduardo Aparecido, Keyshawn Whitehorse and company have never been afraid to flash. Specifically this season, as the pair of veterans have continued to lead the way as Arizona’s most consistent threats.
Specifically, Aparecido, who’s ranked No. 11 in the MVP race courtesy of his 14-for-26 slate. Leading the team once again as leader both on the dirt and in the locker room, the 34-year-old has been enjoying two of the best years in his riding career lately.
In fact, when you visit the PBR.com athlete page, he’s the third rider listed (after finishing the 2024 Unleash The Beast campaign ranked No. 3 overall, trailing only Cassio Dias and John Crimber).
While he’s a bit farther back from the duo in this year’s individual aggregate score challenge, he remains a productive pillar for this Ridge Riders squad.
Looking to beat his career-best figures from the inaugural PBR Teams season back in 2022 (16-for-25), he should get three chances this weekend to stamp a new personal record while attempting to fuel his unit to a late-season push. Having logged at least one qualified ride in nine of the 10 events in which he’s appeared in this summer, the talent can be both consistent and potent at the same time.
Just like his fellow ace in Keyshawn Whitehorse, who’s stacked up a respectable 10-for-24 slate and who joins Aparecido as the team’s only other rider ranked in the Top 20 of the PBR Teams MVP race, currently ranked No. 17 ahead of the regular season finale.
Whitehorse enjoys a good wave of crowd support, which is a good sign for fans planning to take in this weekend’s action in-person out west.
Successful in two of his last three attempts, it’s been a bit of a roller coaster season for the skilled McCracken Spring, Utah, native. But he’s one of the swaggiest, hardest-working and most dedicated talents on the tour. Known to embrace quite the pregame stretching and preparation routine, there’s no doubt he will be fired up and ready to go.
The rest will come down to the likes of Nick Tetz, Dener Barbosa, Bruno Carvalho and company, with the trio of regulars set to join Whitehorse and Aparecido in representing the team’s Friday night starting five.
Remaining the only team to compete on Championship Sunday during both the 2022 and 2023 playoff finale, Arizona will look to drum up some momentum during their Week 12 homestand during a trio of matchups against the (10-15) New York Mavericks, (10-15-1) Oklahoma Wildcatters and (11-15) Missouri Thunder, three of the very teams which stand in their way of an automatic playoff berth.
With the Kansas City Outlaws and Texas Rattlers enjoying an opening night bye game, the Ridge Riders will suit up alongside the Nashville Stampede, Missouri Thunder, Oklahoma Wildcatters, Austin Gamblers, Carolina Cowboys, Florida Freedom and New York Mavericks in getting the show started Friday night inside Desert Diamond Arena.
