This tournament took the place of the Gozo Cup, which had to be postponed after the storm that hit our islands a few weeks ago.

The same storm also took its toll on the pavilion at Ta’ Qali, to the extent that the parquet flooring is now being replaced by a new one, with a higher base being established undeneath. Work has already began, and it is envisaged that it will take around six weeks for the pavilion to be operational again.

The pre-season Cup was played at the University Sports Hall. The teams

were split in two Pools, with a round robin system of play.

In the games played:

Pool 1:  Luxol 35 Alyssa Ashley Loyola 46; Honey Athleta 48 Phoenix

Petrus Qormi  33; Honey Athleta 44 Luxol 51;  Alyssa Ashley Loyola 47 Phoenix Petrus Qormi  21;  Phoenix Petrus Qormi  13 Luxol 58; Honey Athleta 38 Alyssa Ashley Loyola 49

Alyssa Ashley Loyola finished on top in the standings with six points. Followed by Luxol on five, Honey Athleta four and Phoenix Petrus Qormi with three.

Pool 2: McDonalds Depiro 50 Hibernians 44; Sports Experience 22     McDonalds Depiro 24; Hibernians 43 Starlites Sports Experience 35;

McDonalds Depiro won the Pool with four points. Second were Hibernians with three and Starlites Sports Experience had two points.

Match for 6th place: Honey Athleta 44 Starlites Sports Experience 28

Semi Finals: Alyssa Ashley Loyola  72 Hibernians 51; McDonalds Depiro 39 Luxol 40.

Match for 3rd place: Hibernians 36 McDonalds Depiro 47

Final

Alyssa Ashley Loyola 62

Luxol 77

(20-21)(20-13)(12-17)(10-26)

Whereas all the other matches were played on a restricted time basis this was a full normal game.

Loyola had already beaten Luxol in a Pool match and they looked on their way to another victory but the current champions stuck to their task and finished up comfortable winners as they dictated the last stages of the encounter.

Loyola were well led by Christina Grima and the shooting of the new American Brietta Thomas but the Violets had four players all on double figure scores with another new American Mollie Williams leading the way followed by Greta Zarb Mandi Sciortino and Becky Naudi.

The opening session was a balanced one with both sides taking small leads and Williams and Thomas making triples. In the second period another Thomas trey started off a prolonged advantage for Loyola which they kept on till the interval when they were on a 40-34 advantage.

Loyola were still ahead after the break holding their best lead in the match but the champions ended the session on a top note and were only a mere point behind when the last period began on a 51-52 score.

Loyola kept pace for some time but as the match drew to a close a 10-2 Luxol run closely followed by another 8-0 run had them away from their opponents and they were high and dry long before the match ended.

After the game the St. James Hospital General Manager Maria Bugeja presented the Luxol captain Mandi Sciortino with the winning trophy

for their first early silverware of the season.

Loyola: P. Monatanaro, C. Grima 21, J. Doughty, M. Gatt, D. Said Hollier, K. Tonna 8, A. Bonanno 6, J. Mangion 9, B. Sultana, B. Thomas 18, SJ Barbara, K. Gouder

Luxol:  S. Pace 3, M. Sciortino 14, M. Caruana, B. Naudi 14, J. Busuttil Gaerty, G. Zarb 15, P. Ellul 8, M. Williams 23, D. Muscat, C.

Qumi, K. Portelli, M. Darmanin

Referees: G. Barbara, E. Mangani, A. Carbonaro