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Louis Borg Cup men - Final 2
Siggiewi Smina 54 Dakar Sliema 52 (Agg. 102-118)
(14-18)(17-7)(5-14)(18-13)
Sliema won this competition for the fifth time, never losing in any final they took part in. This final went on aggregate points, as Siggiewi rallied from their first game defeat, but the difference in points was too large from the first match, and Siggiewi had to be content with the sharing of the two games, and also taking into consideration Siggiewi's predicament as to their playing staff. Sliema have now won three of the four honours played for this season, with the other going to Siggiewi.
Siggiewi had to field a depleted side, with Adrian Bonnici and Louis Camilleri out on hamstring injuries, and Steve Sammut and Eman Xuereb missing, Sliema once more had Duncan Cuschieri just a spectator on the bench.
Sliema held the first lead, after Omar Said's trey, but Siggiewi rallied, to go twice in front, despite a Michael Naudi trey. Sliema showed their worth again, as they built up an 8-0 run, with Naudi's second trey, and Adrian Micallef's similar long shot. After the first quarter it was Sliema on a small advantage.
In the second session Siggiewi recovered, and a 9-2 opening run, which began with a JP Azzopardi trey, gave them a 23-20 lead. Sliema had difficulty getting into their rhythm again, but late in the quarter they managed to take a slim lead. Siggiewi grimly came back once more, to post an 8-1 closing run, with David Camilleri making the last points. At the interval Siggiewi were 31-25 ahead.
After the break Siggiewi tried to keep the momentum going. After going further ahead they were hit by Etienne bezzina's points, including a trey. Sliema were still in arrears late in the session, as Siggiewi held on. In the last minute Bezzina completed a 7-0 run, with his second trey, after a couple of Naudi hoops, and with a quarter to go Sliema went 39-36 in front, after trailing for some time.
Siggiewi's efforts to go back in front were thwarted, as Bezzina sank his third trey, in a 6-0 run. JP Bonnici and Abraham Portelli dragged Siggiewi back to a 45-45 tie. An Omar Said trey gave the lead to Sliema, but Siggiewi made a last ditch try, which was successful, as they overtook the Blues. In the last seconds of the match Siggiewi resisted Sliema's attacks, to finish the game ahead of their opponents, but not enough to claim the Cup. At the end both sets of supporters were happy, with Sliema's third honour and Siggiewi's good performance and second final win.
At the end of the match the President Emeritus of the MBA, Louis Borg, presented medals and trophies to the two teams, as Sliema took the Cup back with them.
SIGGIEWI: 7 A. Spiteri, I. Mercieca, 15 D. Camilleri, J. Doughty, 13 A. Portelli, 5 JP Azzopardi, 6 P. Shoults, 8 JP Bonnici, M. Shoults, A. Huizer
SLIEMA: 15 M. Naudi, J. Zammit, C. Calleja, 15 E. Bezzina, J. Galea, T. Vella, 7 O. Said, 3 A. Micallef, 2 K. Baldacchino, 8 S. Cassar, 2 J. gatt
REFEREES: Emanuel Mangani, Jean Paul Sammut
Louis Borg Cup Women - Final 2
Depiro 52 Hibs Medsea 71 (Agg. 93-114)
(6-15)(17-26)(21-15)(8-15)
Hibernians collected their fourth honour this season, and after their close encounter against Depiro, in the first match, they made sure in the next one, as they established a good lead, which they kept throughout the match. Depiro were denied the opportunity to go near, and make a game of it, as the Paolites had a firm grip on the match, and showed their command over the other teams in the female sector, this season.
The two teams came out on all cylinders at the start. Depiro took the first lead, at 4-1, and then regained their advantage, at 6-5. From then on it was the Paolites who took control of the game, and a strong 10-0 run, till the end of the quarter, with a Bev Zammit usual trey, put the champions on a good footing.
In the second session Hibs contained their opponents at first, but Greta Zarb sank her first trey for Depiro, and soon after made her second one. Hibs still had a lead, and a second Zammit trey saw them start to dominate again. Depiro were limited to a handful of points, as the Paolites exhuded confidence. They finished the session on a top note, and at the interval Depiro wer 23-41 behinnd.
After the break Depiro sought to make inroads in their deficit, and Greta Zarb put in a further two treys, to confirm her good moment. The champions' points, in between, helped them to preserve a good lead, despite Depiro's pressure. The last stages of the quarter took a turning point, as the Mtarfa side made a 9-2 run, with two Sarah Pace treys. The Paolites recovered, to hold a 56-44 advantage, after three sessions.
In the final quarter Hibs were in a determined mood, and a 7-0 run, beginning with a Bev Zammit trey, pushed Depiro's aspirations back. They did have an 8-3 run, although Zammit made her fourth trey for Hibs. Doreen Parnis was injured midway through the session, as the Paolited held possession, to prevebt their opponents from gaining ground on them. The champions were at a safe enough distance, as the time wound down. Hibs finished on a good aggregate, to win the Cup for the third time in five finals, all against Depiro.
After the match the President Emeritus of the MBA, Louis Borg, presnted medals and trophies to both teams, as the Paolites celebrated a further honour, and now only the league championship remains for them to make a clean sweep of the honours.
DEPIRO: R. Camenzuli, C. Riolo, 12 S. Pace, 6 J. Cardona, K. Busuttil, 9 R. Camilleri, A. Muscat, C. Hawkins, A. Sciberras, E. Vella, 2 A. Borg, 23 G. Zarb
HIBS: 13 C. Fenech, 21 B. Zammit, F. Bianco, 7 L. Bezzina, F. Tabone, 5 M. Desira, 11 D. Parnis, 12 A. Darmanin, S. Debono, 2 M. Cutajar
REFEREES: Bernard Vassallo, Stephen Micallef
Louis Borg Cup Women - Final 1
Hibs Medsea 43 Depiro 41
(10-4)(13-14)(11-17)(9-6)
There was nothing decisive in this first final, and everything to play for in the second one, next Sunday. True, Hibs have beaten Depiro for the fifth time, this season, and have yet to be beaten by the Mtarfa side, but contrary to the other wins, the Paolites have only a minimum lead to take into the second final, as this competition is played. Depiro didn't give the champions much space throughout the match, and managed to stay in contention, as Hibs seemed very nervous in their play, and never really got going, as was their wont this season.
Hibs recovered captain, Lucienne Bezzina, after missing two matches, and Depiro had Antoinette Borg back from Sicily, but she only stayed on the bench, with the other players giving their all, to trouble the champions through the whole encounter.
Hibs went for personal defence at the start, but Depiro carved out a 4-2 lead. The Paolites reverted to their usual zone defence, and their attack started to function. Depiro left some uncovered spaces, and were punished, as Lucienne Bezzina and Doreen Parnis put in their treys, as the champions swept into the lead, in the opening session.
In the second quarter Depiro began by going to within a basket, at 8-10. Hibs rallied, and Parnis was again prominent, when three hoops went in for the champions. Depiro stopped the sequence, and Sarah Pace sank a trey. Depiro followed up, to post a 7-0 run, and Hibs' lead went down to just a point. The Paolites recovered sufficiently, and their free throws built into a 7-0 run of their own. Rachel Camilleri helped Depiro to come back, with a couple of hoops, and at the interval it was Hibs, on a 23-18 low-score advantage.
After the break the Paolites were caught cold, as Greta Zarb's trey started off a good 9-0 run, for Depiro to jump into the lead. The champions managed to tie the score, at 27-27, but Depiro were in full cry, and Rachel Camilleri was still putting the points in for them. In the later stages of the session Bev Zammit was allowed more space, and sank two of her specials, the last one in the very last second, and Hibs went to just a point down, at 34-35, after three sessions.
The two teams were very apprehensive of each other in the last quarter, and took time to settle down. Hibs went in front, but Depiro got into their stride, to go ahead once more, at 39-38. Bev Zammit pulled the Paolites back with her third trey and a further hoop. Depiro put in a spurt to save the game, but the champions' defence forced them into hurried shots, and at the end Hibs held on to their slender basket lead, and the outcome is still wide open, and to be decided in the second final.
HIBS: C. Fenech, 13 B. Zammit, F. Bianco, 10 L. Bezzina, F. Tabone, 1 M. Desira, 13 D. Parnis, 4 A. Darmanin, S. Debono, 2 M. Cutajar
DEPIRO: C. Riolo, 11 S. Pace, 5 J. Cardona, A. Borg, 11 R. Camilleri, A. Muscat, C. Hawkins, 2 A. Sciberras, E. Vella, 12 G. Zarb
REFEREES: Jean Paul Sammut, Alfred Carbonaro
Men's 2 Div. League
SN Suns Bell Med 51 Loyola Xuereb Installations 70
(8-21)(15-10)(15-21)(13-18)
In this last game of the first phase of play Loyola kept their unbeaten record against Suns, as they made their fourth league win over their opponents. The semi final berths were known before, and these two sides will meet other opposition in the Play Off semis. Loyola went into the lead straight from the start and never relinquished it. Suns did go near in the final session, but a game-ending run foiled their efforts, and Loyola could coast through, to their fourth league win.
Suns presented a healthy outfit, after so many games with a dearth of players on the ebnch. Loyola had youngsters, Stefan Vella and Kyle Tedesco back in the side.
Loyola took the game by the scruff of the neck, from the start, and built up a strong 11-0 run, with a Joe Vassallo trey, before Suns could reply, through a Daniel Agius close-range hoop. Loyola still kept up the pressure, and a further 7-0 run, with a Joe Vella trey, continued to extend their lead. Suns recovered late in the quarter, but their hoops found a reply at the other end, as Loyola held on to a sound lead.
In the second session Suns had Anthony Shoults to drag them back, with a good 10-0 run, including two treys, for an 18-22 score. Loyola's reply was strong, with Jean Falzon and Joe Vella treys, in an 8-0 run. Suns rallied again, and the returning Michael Barberi put in another trey. At the interval it was a closer game, with Loyola on a 31-23 advantage.
After the break there were another spate of treys. Jean Falzon sank a further two treys for Loyola, and Shoults replied again for Suns. Midway through the session Loyola ran up an 8-0 break, with a further Vella trey, but Barberi also made his second at the other end. Loyola were still in command, to start the last quarter on a 52-38 lead.
Suns made a good effort to get within striking distance, and a 7-0 run, with a third Barberi trey, amde the game more competitive. Bernard Soler made a couple of hoops, and Loyola were back in a double figure lead. Suns were not done yet, and came back to a 51-56 deficit. When it seemed that Loyola were in for a torrid time, they responded with a grand 14-0 run, and a fourth Vella trey, which went on till the final buzzer, as they coasted clear.
SUNS: 12 Anthony Shoults, 11 Michael Barberi
LOYOLA: 18 Joe Vella, 13 Jean Falzon
REFEREES: Jean Paul Sammut, Anthony Micallef