Mosta 70 – SN Suns Bell Med 57
(9-12, 22-29, 40-35, 54-54)

Kmieni fl-ahhar perjodu Suns kienu qeghdin igawdu minn vantagg ta’ disa’ punti, 48-39 izda Mosta, li kellhom lil Ray Muscat nieqes, irnexxielhom jirrimontaw, bl-Armen Sassoun Saakian attiv fuq in-naha offensiva, u sfurzaw il-hin barrani. Fil-hames mizjuda kien Oliver Sammut li b’ghaxar punti personali ghen bi shih lil Mosta jirbhu l-loghba. L-ewwel taqsima kienet bilancjata ghelkemm Mosta kienu kemmxejn aktar precizi sabiex ghalqu l-ewwel taqsima 29-22 minn fuq fejn ghalihom Saakian kien diga’ beda jikseb il-punti. Ghal Suns Daniel agius kellu tliet baskets waqt li Adrian Camilleri u Robert Camilleri kisbu 3-pointer rispettiv. L-istess Suns feggew fuq quddiem tard fit-tielet perjodu meta kisbu run ta’ 14-2 fejn Michel Curmi kiseb bosta minn dawn il-punti u erba’ minuti fl-ahhar perjodu, basket minn A. Camilleri pogga lil Suns 48-39 minn fuq. Mosta rrispondew mill-ewwel b break ta’ 8-0 u ghalkemm Suns regghu kienuprecizi u marru momnetarjament 54-50 minn fuq, fl-ahhar mumenti tal-loghba kien hemm erba’ freeshots minn Mosta li sfurzaw il-hin barrani. Il-hin barrani beda b’Mosta jghollu sew il-moral meta kisbu l-ewwel seba’ punti. Suns ma setghux jerrghu jaqbdu r-ritmu u Mosta komplew bi break ahhari ta’ sitt punti.

Mosta won the game in overtime, in a game which Suns let slip out of their grasp, after having led for most of the match. It was a great comeback for Mosta, who had Sascha Saakian, in normal time, and Oliver Sammut in overtime, to provide the necessary points for their win. Mosta were without prolific score, Ray Muscat, and Mark Spiteri, whilst Suns also had their absentees, Mark schembri, Angelo Bantick and Bernard Cini. Robert Camilleri opened up with a trey for Suns, as the first session was always balanced. The lead changed hands five times, and Saakian was active under the boards, as Mosta held a slight lead after ten minutes. In the second session Mosta extended their lead with a brace of hoops, before Suns replied, and an Adrian Camilleri trey brought them to a hoop down, at 14-16. Mosta had Saakian to fall on, and he pushed his side to a better lead. Suns had several players with an eye to the basket, to keep in touch. Towards the end of the quarter Mosta were in charge again, and a 7-2 run gave them a 29-22 interval lead. After the break Suns began to play better, and Mosta wilted under the pressure. They kept their lead for some time, as the introduction of Lawrence Deguara on court had the desired effect. Michel Curmi then found his shooting touch for Suns, and after his first trey, bringing his team closer, Curmi made more points, including another trey, in a 9-0 closing session, which gave them a 40-35 advantage. In the final quarter Suns managed to increase their lead, as Mosta had only Saakian to obtain their points, but he was too individualistic. Halfway through the session Suns were 48-39 in front, but a timeout changed Mosta's tactics. Some intense pressing rattled Suns, as they concede turnovers, and an 8-0 run made it a one-point game. Suns recovered through Hubert Agius, to edge away again. Mosta came back, and they saved the game with a Saakian free shot, in the last two seconds, and force overtime. This extra period was nearly all Mosta's, starting off with an Oliver Sammut trey, in a 7-0 run. Suns were a dispirited lot, seeing the game getting away from them. Mosta pressed home their superiority, to emerge clear winners, as Sammut continued to pile up the points.

Mosta: M. Aquilina, R. Abela 6, M. Bonnici 5, C. Farrugia, A. Pace, J,. Micallef 11, O. Sammut 10, L. Deguara 4, S. Saakian 32, S. Schembri 2.
Suns: D. Agius 8, A. Camilleri 9, K. Genovese, Rob. Camilleri 7, H. Agius 13, A. Chetcuti, M. Curmi 20, R. Buhagiar, Ren. Camilleri.
Refs : Gordon Barbara, Jean Paul Sammut

Fi tmiem il-gimgha kien hemm ukoll partita barra l-kampjonat minn din il-kategorija meta Loyola Xuereb installatiosn ghelbu lit-team nazzjonali ta’ taht it-tmintax il-sena 63-61 wara konfront iehor kumbattut fl-ahhar hinijiet. It-team nazzjonali taz-zghazagh gawdew minn vantagg ta’ 34-22 fil-mistrieh izda Loyola wiegbu fit-tieni taqsima u disa minuti minn tmiem il-loghba kisbu l-parita’ 46-46. Ghal darba ohra Mlata feggew fil-vantagg 59-55 minuta mit-tmiem izda Loyola kisb u tliet baskets wara xulxin ghal 61-59 u ghalkemm zewg freeshots, fuq in-naha opppsota, gabu l-parita’, il-partita giet deciza b’basket ahhari minn Jonathan Ransley ghal Loyola.

Loyola : JP Falzon 6, G. Miclalef, J. Vella 11, K. Galea 3, C. Agius 10, J. Vassallo 10, T. Grech 4, B. Soler 4, P. Lentini, R. Fenech, J. Ransley 14, R. Depasquale 1.
Malta: S. Pace 3, B. Zammit 6, N. Sultana 2, A. Aquilina, G. Cuschieri 11, M. Portera, S. Vella, T. Paris 1, G. Muscat 6, S. Deguara 16, I. Tanti 5, C. Cassar 11.