Starlites GIG 62 Caffe Moak Luxol 50
(12-12, 16-5, 21-18, 13-15)
Starlites collected their second honour of the season, after the Independence Cup, beating the champions for the fourth time in the process, this season. They had to recover from a bright Hibs start, but once they went ahead, it was the Paolites chasing their adversaries for the remainder of the encounter. Starlites played confidently nearly throughout the whole match, whilst the champions found difficulty in overcoming a stifling opposing defence. Errors on the Hibs end didn't help either, as Starlites were well marshalled by their Spanish player, Patricia Arguello. Starlites' points were also well distributed, with Michela Zammit Cordina coming off the bench, and catching the eye with some polished play. Hibs' American, Amelia Simmons, was well marked, but she still managed to end up as the game's top scorer, even if on the losing side. Stralites included their Welsh player, Hayley Acreman, after the transfer window opening.
It was the champions storming out, after Starlites' opening hoop, for a 12-2 run. Starlites pulled themselves back, as Kirsty Galea sank a triple, and her side then made up 10-2 run, till the end of the session. For a srawn score. In the next period it was Christine Curmi who netted a Starlites trey, and her side began edging away from their opponents, with Arguello also putting in a triple. There was no Hibs answer, and at the halfway stage it was Starlites on a 28-17 advantage.
After the break Hibs were falling further behind, as Starlites kept on, this time with an early 10-2 run, and two more Arguello triples. Hibs' skipper, Elena Cassar stopped her adversaries, with her trey, and the champions struck a good patch of play. Their 9-2 run began to push them towards contention, but Starlites managed a 7-0 run, with a Zammit Cordina trey, for a 49-35 comfortable lead, for Starlites. In the last session Starlites made doubly sure, beginning with more points, to go way out in front. Hibs finally began answering back, and Sam Brincat sank a trey, but the damage had already been done. The two sides then shared the paly for the remainder of the encounter, with Starlites having their minds at rest, as regards the outcome of the match.
After the final it was the MBA President, Paul Sultana, who presented the Starlites skipper, Samantha Farrugia, with the winning trophy, in their first ever final appearance, in this competition.
Starlites: M. Zammit Cordina 11, K. Galea 9, A. Micallef , S. Farrugia 2, M. Bonett 8, H. Acreman 2, C. Curmi 6, J. Grima 3, P. Arguello 14, M. Cutajar 4, S. Davies, A. Lupo 3
Hibs: E. Micallef, E. Cassar 7, K. Caruana, S. Brincat 7, I. Agius 2, J. Abela, S. Abela 4, A. Simmons 22, N. Farrugia, H. Al Tumi, M. Said, L. Duncan 8
Referees: K. Dworniczak, N. Azzopardi, M. Hraisha