Independence Cup - Men

After an absence of one season, the Independence Cup was used as a starting action for the new Basketball season. Played on reduced time, of two sessions of 15 minutes, the Men's section was divided into two pools.

Teams could field unregistered players for this competition, with the new rules allowing three foreigners, and a minimum of two local players in each team.

The first Pool was comprised of three teams. The champions, Hibernians began on the losing end, being beaten by Bupa Luxol.

Hibs practically retained their side of last season, with Serbian, Ivan Demcesen taking the place of Italian, Fabrizio Mariani.

Luxol upgraded serbian, Vukassin jandric, from the second string, had anew foreigner, Filip Sekulin, from Montenegro, and also had Samuel Deguara, before he began his long trip to Asia, next Monday.

In the second match Hibernians made amends, beating Depiro, to leave this Pool wide open, with a third game to be played on Saturday, between Depiro and Luxol.

Hibs played withour both Matijevic and Lizaur, who were rested. Depiro had two new Americans, Keshaun Hamilton and Trent Steen, along with Slovakian, Adam Chomo, from their second team.

There was Omar Said in their ranks, but captain, Andrew Aquilina, was injured.

The second pool had Gzira Athleta teeing off with a victory over new entries, Floriana MCP Car Parks.

Athleta alos boasted two Americans, Vincent Pace and Carson Shanks, and new signing, the Serbian, Alex Perunicic.

Moroccan, Elahmar Khalid, who is going to play in the second string, was also given an outing.

Floriana's foreigners werer Estonian, Kevin Liivamagi, and American, Gael Hulsen, along with other locals from different clubs.

The second encounter saw Starlites GIG having the better of another new side, in the top division, MSC Balkan Fusion, who played in the second tier, last season. Starlites boasted three foreigners.

Canadian, Brandon Biblija, American, Jordan Stotts and Nenad Stoyanvski, from Macedonia. Balkan had a completely new team, from last season, but this time they had to have local players, as per rules.

In a third match, between the two losing sides, it was Floriana having the better of Balkan, to keep their hopes alive of a semi-final berth with Balkan practically out of the running, with their second defeat.

 

Pool 1

Hibernians                            63    
Bupa Luxol                           75             
(38-37, 25-38)

Hibs: R. Vella 2, P. Attard, L. Farrugia 3, I. Bonett, L.Tardito 20, A. Axiaq, M. Matijevic, A. Lizaur 8, I. Demcesen 2, C. Cuschieri Patus 25  

Luxol: V. Jandric 21, L. Caruana Montaldo, JP Schembri 2, N. Vasovic 3, W. Ahlberg 7, S. Defuara 30, F. Sekulic 12, S. Cappello

Referees: B. Vassallo, N. Azzopardi, B. Sly

Depiro                                   49    
Hibernians                            59
(27-27, 22-32)

Depiro: J. Attard, D. Farrugia 2, A. Attard, N. Grech 5, O. Said 4, K. Hamilton 11, A. Chomo 2, E. Briffa, M. Borg 5, T. Steen 20

Hibs: R. Vella 3, P. Attard, K. Sultana, L. Farrugia 3, I. Bonett, L.Tardito 9, A. Axiaq 4, M. Matijevic, A. Lizaur, I. Demcesen 17, C. Cuschieri Patus 23

Referees: N. Azzopardi, S. Micallef, S. Dobrosavljevic

 

Pool 2

Floriana MCP CP               43    
Gzira Athleta                    53
(21-28, 22-25)

Floriana: S. Pace, D. Bugeja 17, T. Grech, S. Borg, K. Caruana 5, K. Liivamagi 5, C. Calleja, A. Portelli, K. Xuereb 10, G. Hulsen 6, D. Agius

Athleta: S. Vincic, F. Mifsud Bonnici, J. Wait, P. Shoults 11, M. Gauci Montaldo, A. Perunicic 2, N. Xuereb 8, M. Gouder  2, E. Khalid, V. Pace 14, I. Mitrovic 5, C. Shanks 11 

Referees: B. Vassallo, N. Azzopardi, B. Sly

MSC Balkan Fusion        49    
Starlites GIG                  71
(23-43, 26-28) 

Balkan: N. Andrejevic 7, I. Kumric 10, P. Walk 19, A. Schembri 2, S. Todorovic, N. Bazovic 11, N. Kovacevic, J. Caruana

Starlites: O. Psaila, M. Azzopardi 4, R. Bonnici 12, I. Pace, N. Formosa 12, M. Falzon 3, R. Carabott 5, M. Scerri, B. Biblija 14, J. Stotts 15, N. Stoyanvski 6

Referees: N. Azzopardi, S. Micallef, B. Sly

MSC Balkan Fusion       40    
Floriana MCP CP           67
(21-38, 19-29)

Balkan: N. Andrejevic 11, I. Kumric 6, P. Walk 15, A. Schembri 2, S. Todorovic, N. Bazovic 5, N. Kovacevic, J. Caruana 1

Floriana: S. Pace 3, D. Bugeja 16, T. Grech 5, S. Borg 5, K. Caruana 13, K. Liivamagi 8, C. Calleja 2, A. Portelli, K. Xuereb 4, G. Hulsen 11, D. Agius

Referees: N. Azzopardi, S. Micallef, B. Sly

 

Independence Cup - Women

The start of the Women's sector, in the Independence Cup, saw three games being played.  Depiro were the opening victors, seeing off Caffe Moak Luxol. Depiro had an American, Ashley Gray, Gabby Mifsud returned from Italy, and they also had new faces, from the defunct Athleta outfit, and from other clubs as well, but they were missing players who were abroad.

Luxol also fielded players from the ex-Athleta, five in all, and also had a new American, Alexis Dilard.

In the next matchchampions, Hibernians, as in their male counterparts, also began with a defeat, losing out to Starlites GIG.

They were five former players short, abroad and injured, but roped in the American, Amelia Simmons, from Athleta, and Hannah al Tumi was back for good.

Starlites retained most of their players, with the addition of Maria Bonett, from Depiro, Christine Curmi from Luxol, and Josephine Grima returned from abroad, for a second stint with the side.

The third match had Hibs faltering once more, this time losing out to Depiro, who thus recorded back to back victories, and are assured of a place in the two top placings. 

The Poalites now have their work cut out to evade a bottom finish.

 

Depiro                           33    
Caffe Moak Luxol         29
(11-11, 22-18)

Depiro: N. Agius 5, G. Mifsud 2, L. vella, D. Agius, C. Camilleri 2, D. Said Hollier 5, No. Agius, A. Gray 12, E. Cutajar, C. Ciantar 5, N. Hili 2

Luxol: S. Pace 6,  B. Zammit, Ni. Vella, M. Caruana,, No. Vella 1,  M. Pollacco, K. Portelli 2, A. Borg 3, A. Dilard 9. S. Vella 2, M. Darmanin 6, C. Mifsud

Referees: B. Vassallo, F. Tzimopulos

Hibernians              24    
Starlites GIG          35
(15-17, 9-18)

Hibs: S. Abela 1, E. Cassar 2, A. Simmons 7, K. Calleja, L. Duncan 8, J. Abela 3, K. Caruana, N. Farrugia, H. al Tumi 3, M. Said, E. Pace

Starlites: M. Zammit Cordina 2, K. Galea 6, D. Revol, S. Farrugia, M. Bonett 5, H. Acreman 2, M. Riolo, J. grima 13, P. Arguello 5, M. Cutajar, S. Davies 2, C. Curmi

Referees: Z. Dobrosavljevic, F. Tzimopoulos

Depiro                    47    
Hibernians             38
(18-22, 29-16)

Depiro: N. Agius 9, G. Mifsud 3, L. Vella, D. Agius 2, C. Camilleri 4, D. Said Hollier 3,No. Agius 6, A. Gray 16, E. Cutajar, C. Ciantar 4, N. Hili

Hibs: S. Abela 2, E. Cassar 6, A. Simmons 19, K. Calleja, L. Duncan, J. Abela, K. Caruana, R. Camilleri, N. Farrugia 5, H. al Tumi 2, M. Said 4, E. Pace

Referees: Z. Dobrosavljevic, C. Xuereb