The Argentinean playmaker was a difference maker when it mattered most this season
Tribute to the Champs: Luca Vildoza
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At the tail end of an up-and-down season, Luca Vildoza gave Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens exactly what it needed in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Championship Game to take down Real Madrid and celebrate his first title. The 29-year-old Argentinean was coming off his finest season to date with Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade when he signed with the Greens with a big role waiting for him in Coach Ergin Ataman’s backcourt. In his first six appearances, Vildoza had at least 4 assists four times, scored in double figures three times and twice made 4 triples. He also had three games with at least 3 turnovers as finding a consistent role in the new team proved to be an issue.
Vildoza had plenty of bright moments, such as a 19-point outburst – including the game-tying basket in the final minute – in an 81-82 road win at Valencia Basket in Round 19. He later averaged 7.7 points on 6-of-9 three-point shooting in 3 playoff games against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv.
When he was needed in Berlin, Vildoza was ready. Despite not featuring in the semifinal, Vildoza proved himself when foul trouble plagued the backcourt in the championship game. He first entered the game with 6:13 left in the second quarter and the Greens trailing by 10. His energy helped shift the momentum as Panathinaikos immediately went on a 5-14 charge to get within 46-45 on a Vildoza triple. He was reinserted less than 3 minutes into the second half and again his team got hot, outscoring Los Blancos 5-12 to lead 61-64 at the end of the third quarter. Vildoza finished the game with just 3 points in 13:16 minutes, but his +/- of 12 was third-best on the team and the only players better than him played more than 30 minutes.