Shield Irgiel Tieni Divizjoni
Semi Finali

Mellieha SVS Leisures 64 – Loyola Xuereb Installations 60
(8-7, 9-11, 17-20, 17-13, 13-9)

Ghat-tieni darba dan l-istagun, il-konfront bejn Mellieha u Loyola kellu jkun deciz fil-hin barrani u kienu Mellieha li spiccaw ghat-tieni darba fuq in-naha rebbieha biex ghaddew ghall-final tal-Hadd li gej.
L-ewwel taqsima kienet pjuttost nieqsa mill-punti b’Loyola jidhu jistriehu 18-17 minn fuq.
L-istess Loyola baqghu jgawdu l-vantagg ghall-hafna mill-hin fit-tielet perjodu bl-akbar distakk ikun ta’ sitt punti, 38-32 wara 3-pointer minn Jean Paul Falzon u freethrows ta’ Clayton Agius..
Punti minn Ian Terribile u Robert Loporto taw il-vantagg lil Mellieha kmieni fir-raba’ perjodu. Loyola ma qaghdux lura u mill-ewwel irrispondew u l-vantagg alterna bejn iz-zewg nahat sakemm basket minn Trevor Grech pogga li Loyola 51-50 minn fuq tard fil-loghba. Madankollu l-parita’ finali waslet meta Michale Pisani ghamel free throw minn tnejn ghal Mellieha.
Wara li Roberto Depasquale kiseb l-ewwel punti tal-hin barrani ghal Loyola kienu Mellieha li kellhom zewg 3-pointers minn Terribile u l-iskor sar 62-56.
Loyola ghamlu sforz u erba’ free throws wara xulxin ressquhom basket il-boghod izda free throws fuq in-naha opposta minn Loporto accertaw ir-rebha ta’ Mellieha.

(TMI) Once again this encounter was a humdinger. In their previous match the issue was decided after three overtimes, going in Mellieha's favour. This time around Mellieha once again emerged victorious, and again the match went into overtime, before Mellieha could progress into the final.
There was a quiet start to the game, as Loyola came from behind, to draw level, but Mellieha still managed to end the session on a single point advantage. Loyola's points came all from free shots.
In the second quarter it was Loyola who dominated atfirst, and an 11-2 run, starting off with a Trevor Grech trey, put them ahead. Mellieha settled down to take the latter part of the session in hand, and a 7-0 run, with treys by Robert Loporto and Michael Pisani, reduced Loyola's lead to a single point. At the interval there was an 18-17 low score.
After the break the points were more frequent. Loyola increased their lead, but Mellieha reacted and, as both sides made their treys, it was all-square, at 26-26.
The treys were still coming in at both ends, as Loyola regained the lead, which they kept till the end of the session, on a 38-34 score.
In the final quarter the two teams stuck to each other like limpets, with the lead changing hands continually. Sever players on both sides were missing their free shots at a crucial part of the match. Joshua Aquilina's trey put Mellieha in front, but Loyola went back ahead, and it was Mellieha who had to save the game, with a Michael Pisani free throw. on a 51-51 score.
In extra time Ian Terribile sank a couple of treys to keep his side in front, as Mellieha parried all of Loyola's efforts to overturn the score. Loyola were nearly given a helping hand, as Joshua Aquilina lost his cool, after being fouled, and was ejected from the court. At the end it was Robert Loporto, and his free shots, that kept Mellieha's unbeaten record since the start of the season, leaving Loyola wondering how they could win a match in overtime.


Mellieha : S. Magro, M. Cauchi, M. Pisani 13, S. Aquilina 4, I. Curmi, J. Muscat, B. Aquilina 3, J. Aquilina 11, M. Camilleri, I. Terribile 23, G. Coleiro, R, Loporto 10.
Loyola: JP Falzon 6, G. Micallef, J. Vella, C. Agius 15, J. Vassallo 4, T. Grech 16, P. Lentini, P. Micallef, J. Ransley 7, R. Depasquale 12.
Refs: Emmanuel Mangani, Gordon Barbara

Mosta 66 – SN Suns Bell Med 48
(13-13, 12-9, 19-9, 22-17)

Break ta’ 8-0 ezatt mal-ftuh tat-tieni taqsima kien ferm strumentali sabiex Mosta jsiru t-tieni finalisti fis-Shield u b’hekk ikkonfermaw li jidhru li qeghdin jirritornaw ghall-forma.
Sa dak il-hin ftit kien hemm x’jifred liz-zewg nahat bl-ewwel taqsiam tintemm 25-22 fejn ghal Mosta l-aktar preciz kien Oliver Sammut waqt li Daniel Agius kseb nofs il-punti ta’ Suns fit-taqsima.
Il-break inizzjali fit-tieni taqsima mibdi minn Ray Musact u konkluz minn Chris Farrugia pogga lil Mosta 33-22 minn fuq.
Suns ippruvaw jirrimontaw izda Mosta gharfu jinnewtralizzaw l-isforzi avversarji u kmieni fl-ahar perjodu l-iskor kien 48-37.
Hanwhekk wasal il-mument fejn Mosta ghalqu l-loghba hekk kif kisbu ghaxar punti wara xulxin minghajr risposta biex Suns kellhom ibaxxu rashom u sfaw eliminate mill-kompetizzjoni.

(TMI) Mosta, quietly but surely, went into the final, after a negative start to the season. which saw them losing the first two games. They recovered against Loyola and they have beaten Suns, to face Mellieha in the final. Suns, still missing their injured players, had an opaque performance, and can't seem to recover the form shown at the start. They were thereabouts during the first part of the match, but then they allowed Mosta to pull away, to look a beaten lot at the end.
Suns made the game's first trey, by Mark Schembri, but it was Mosta who led 8-3. Suns then turned the score around, with Daniel Agius points. Mosta replied through Oliver Sammut, but Suns tied the score at the end of the session, courtesy of a Mark Schembri hoop.
In the second quarter Suns held a lead for some time, and a Kenneth Genovese basket put them 19-16 ahead. Mosta's Adrian Pace sank a trey, and this started off a 0-3 run, which went on till the end of the session. At the interval it was Mosta, at 25-22.
After the break Suns were caught cold by Mosta, and an 8-0 run brought about the game's first real lead. Suns had a reply, but they were thwarted by treys from Chris Farrugia and Simon Schembri, and couldn't get near ebough. After three sessions Mosta had a 44-31 advantage.
In the final quarter Suns were still held at bay, as Mosta kept their lead. When Suns tried to cut down the deficit they were hit again by Mosta, and Ray Muscat's free shots opened up an insurmountable lead. The game still had enough time left, but Mosta could control the game, ending up with another Adrian Pace trey, despite his tantrums. Suns also hiked their score up, but they were still way behind.


Mosta: M. Aquilina, R. Abela, M. Bonnici 2, J. Micallef, A. Pace 6, C. Farrugia 9, R. Muscat 20, O. Sammut 8, M. Spiteri 1, L. Deguara, S. Saakian 13, S. Schembri 7.
Suns: D. Agius 14, K. Genovese 7, R. Camilleri, H. Agius 7, A. Camilleri, B. Cini 2, R. Buhagiar 1, M. Schembri 11, A. Bantick 6.
Refs : Jean Paul Sammut, Stephen Micallef.