José Vildoza showcased his talent with an outstanding performance to lead Boca Juniors through a dominant third quarter, defeating Real Estelí 93-79 in the first game of the BCLA Americas Quarterfinals. The match took place at the Obras Sanitarias Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Turning Point
Real Estelí controlled the pace in the first half, building a lead of up to 12 points. However, Boca closed the gap by the end of the second quarter, narrowing the score to 39-35, setting the stage for an exceptional third period in which they turned the game around and took command. In that decisive quarter, the home team unleashed their offense, scoring 35 points against their opponent’s 19 to take a 70-58 lead. Vildoza orchestrated the run with 16 points in the quarter, including 4 of the 8 three-pointers made by the team. The Argentine squad then opened the final quarter with another 14-3 surge, fueled by three-pointers from Vildoza and Sebastián Vega, extending their lead to 84-61 with 7:04 left on the clock. At that point, the outcome was all but decided.
Player of the Game
Vildoza finished with 31 points, shooting an impressive 8 of 10 from beyond the arc, along with 8 assists. Marcos Delía recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Vega and Franco Giorgetti also contributed 12 points each.
Jezreel De Jesús led Estelí with 25 points (5-6 3PT), while newcomers Glen Rice Jr. and Jordan Glynn followed with 14 and 10 points, respectively. Jared Ruiz, one of the team’s most consistent contributors throughout the season, struggled from the field, shooting just 1 of 10 and finishing with only 5 points.
Stats Don’t Lie
Boca shot an impressive 53 percent from the field (35-67), including an even more remarkable 50 percent from three-point range (17-34). However, they surprisingly struggled from the free-throw line, making just 6 of 20 attempts (1-10 in the first half). Coach Gonzalo Pérez’s team also excelled in transition, dominating fast-break points 16-4 and outscoring Estelí 19-10 in points off turnovers.
Bottom Line
Boca Juniors took care of business at home, putting all the pressure on Real Estelí, which now must win the next two games of the series at the Alexis Argüello Sports Complex in Managua, Nicaragua. Game 2 is set for March 14, with a potential decisive Game 3 on March 15 if necessary.
FIBA