By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Bitci Baskonia’s Wade Baldwin IV was named Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Regular Season Round 30 MVP, Euroleague Basketball announced Saturday.
Baldwin, 25, earned the second MVP distinction for the second time in the 2021-22 season and third overall in his career. Posting a 16-point, 10-assist double-double alongside seven rebounds propelled him to a 29 PIR, the highest among all players through the Round 30 field. In the process, his side secured a home win opposite ALBA Berlin Friday evening.
Per the press release: “Wade Baldwin of Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz flirted with a triple-double on his way an outstanding performance in a winning effort, allowing him to earn the MVP honor for Round 30.
Baldwin led Baskonia to an 85-68 victory against ALBA Berlin, finishing the game with 19 points while making 4 of 8 two-pointers, 1 of 3 three-pointers and 5 of 6 free throws. He added 7 rebounds, 10 assists, a steal and 6 fouls drawn for a performance index rating of 29, the highest in Round 30. As such, Baldwin earned his second MVP of the Round honor this season – he also did it in Round 17 – and the third of his Turkish Airlines EuroLeague career.
Following him, Georgios Papagiannis of Panathinaikos OPAP Athens posted a PIR of 26 in his team’s 101-73 road loss against Olympiacos Piraeus. Papagiannis had 18 points on 9-for-13 two-point shooting, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and 2 blocks. Moustapha Fall of Olympiacos and Tyler Cavanaugh of Zalgiris Kaunas came next, with PIRs of 25 each. Fall made 6 of 7 two-point shots on his way to 13 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and a block against Panathinaikos. Cavanaugh registered 22 points, 7 rebounds and 6 fouls drawn in a losing effort against Anadolu Efes Istanbul. Rudy Fernandez of Real Madrid, with a PIR of 24, completed the top individual performances in Round 30.”
Moving to the Top 10 Plays of Round 30, Rokas Jokubaitis creating and Brandon Davies dunking for FC Barcelona made it all the way up to the first place.
Photo Credit: EuroLeagueBasketball.net