By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Baskonia beat Barcelona 69 – 67 in the championship game of the Spanish ACB League’s Final Phase and won the title for the first time since 2010 and fourth overall in the history of the club. The Basque side had also prevailed over Barcelona then, with a 3-0 sweep in the Finals. Like now, Dusko Ivanovic coached the team during the 2010 championship run.
Barcelona isn’t winning the ACB championship for the sixth straight season.
Luca Vildoza scored the game-winner with a layup with three seconds to play after a brilliant long-range pass by Achille Polonara from beyond the arc. Cory Higgins had the chance to win it for Barcelona but his off-balanced 3-point attempt from the corner went off target.
Pierre Oriola had previously tied the game with two free throws after an offensive rebound. The match was a thriller in the last 15 minutes with multiple score changes and ties.
Vildoza finished with a team-high 17 points plus four assists and was named Final MVP, becoming the second Argentinian player in a row to earn the award after Real Madrid guard Facu Campazzo. Tornike Shengelia contributed 14 points and Ilmane Diop 10 points plus seven boards.
Thomas Heurtel led Barcelona with a season-high 21 points plus five assists. Higgins added 14 points for the Blaugrana that saw star Nikola Mirotic fouling out with five minutes remaining. He finished with eight points on 4/13 shots.
Barcelona had a 39 – 33 lead at halftime but Baskonia dominated the first stretch of the third period to grab a 43 – 47 lead, six minutes into the second half. Svetislav Pesic’s players recovered and the match became close until its very last moments.