Hibernians     63     Starlites GIG     57

(14-11, 18-12, 17-18, 14-16)

Agg. 120-108

This second final was still open, after the first game, but the Paolites did not rest on a first match lead. They drew away from their adversaries, to open up a heavy advantage, but Starlites came back strongly, in the last session, to forge in front, but not on aggregate. Hibs then made sure as they outpointed their opponents, to produce a similar advantage to the first encounter, and take the Cup, after a six-year absence. For Starlites it was another frustrating experience, having also been losing finalists, last season, in the same competition.

The Paolites began boldly, taking a 9-2 lead, through Rachel Kehoe and Elena Cassar.  Starlites tied the score, after a 7-0 run, led by Patricia Arguello. Hibs opened up another advantage, with Arguello clipping off another couple of points.  In the next session the Paolites saw Starlites going quite near, but then a long 12-2 run shot them well in front. Starlites tried to react, but Silvia Gambino was making hoops for Hibs, and her side was in front, at the interval, on a 32-23 score.

After the break Starlites did not take long to creep nearer, as an 8-2 run had Jean Doughty and Arguello making triples, with the latter adding more points. Hibs extended their lead again, but Kirsty Galea netted a Starlites trey. A 9-2 Hibs run, had Sam Brincat also putting in a triple, but the Paolites' new advantage was cut down, by more Galea points, and a second triple. Hibs were 49-41 ahead, at the start of the last session. Starlites made a determined surge, and came up with a 9-0 run, and another Doughty trey, as they were in front for the first time, in the match. The lead changed hands three times, before Starlites were on a tied score. Brincat nailed a second triple for the Paolites, and although Stephanie Davis also sank a trey, there was little time left, and the Paolites' last points of the match sealed their victory, taking them to a similar winning margin as the first encounter.

Hibs gained their first honour of the season, and the MBA general secretary, Joseph Muscat, deputising for the indisposed Louis Borg, presented the winning medals to the Hibs side, with captain, Elena Cassar, holding high the honour won, for the eighth time.

Hibs: E. Micallef, E. Cassar 13, S. Gambino 19, S. Brincat 12, I. Agius, J. Abela, S. Abela 7, K. Caruana, N. Farrugia, R. Kehoe 8, M. Said, J. Scerri 4

Starlites: M. Zammit Cordina, K. Galea 16, J. Doughty 8, S. Farrugia 4, H. Acreman 2, D. Revol, M. Riolo, E. Magrin, P. Arguello 22, M. Cutajar, S. Davis 3, A. Lupo 2

Referees: E. Mangani, T. Mantere, K. Dworniczak