Villanova Film Room: Alley-Oops, Catch-and-Shoots a Focus for Luigi Suigo

This is one in a series of stories reviewing film for each player on Villanova Men’s Basketball’s 2026-27 roster. 

Villanova Men’s Basketball secured their recruiting coup of the offseason when 7-foot-3 Italian center Luigi Suigo committed in mid-June, choosing a year with the Wildcats over a likely late first round selection in the NBA Draft. Suigo played professionally in Europe, suiting up for BC Mega Basket (Belgrade, Serbia) in the Adriatic Basketball Association last season.

Suigo took 30.1 percent of his shots from three last season, and his targeted highlights show the vast majority of his makes coming on catch-and-shoot opportunities. While he only made 28.1 percent of his shots from beyond the arc, that’s a solid clip for a big man… and one that could improve with another year of practice, along with designed opportunities like those catch-and-shoots. With a little work, Suigo should stretch the floor and add a legitimate extra dimension to the Wildcats’ offense.

Suigo is a strong dribbler for his size who is able to create his own offense from midrange, shading toward the paint before spinning around and getting a shot off on a series of plays. He moves well and has solid speed despite the occasional baby giraffe moment — again, nothing out of the ordinary for a 7-foot-3 center — and is a perpetual alley oop threat in the low post.

Fouls a Problem?

Another facet of Suigo’s game that should improve with experience is his anticipation. He already reacts well, rushing in to finish a play via putback or to record a block. While defending away from the basket, Suigo can use his wingspan when ball handlers try to get past him, staying engaged long enough to swat the ball away. That means he’s in danger of committing fouls, however, and with an average of three per game off the bench last season, it’s an area he’ll need to work on.

Watching Suigo’s actual game film during a matchup with Krka on March 19 — with the limited highlights the ABA put out — you can see him defending the perimeter and on one play making what looks like a rookie mistake, getting caught with the paint unguarded on a lob pass that led to an easy layup. Gaining another year of experience while at Villanova should help him iron out some of those hiccups.