Floriana MCP Car Parks     75     Gzira Athleta     81

Agg. 178-143

(19-28, 18-21, 18-21, 20-11)

With such a hefty advantage, from the first encounter, Athleta had absolutely no worries about progressing to the final. They led for practically the whole match, and also established good leads at times, but the Greens came back, towards the end of the match, to post a reduced deficit, of only a handful of points. It was an open game, with Floriana having two locals totting up quite good personal scores, in David Bugeja and Kurt Xuereb. 

Floriana led twice, in the opening skirmishes, as Xuereb sank his trey. Athleta then took over, with American, Carson Shanks, playing his last match for the side, as Athleta will be strenghtening their outfit with more Americans, netting Athleta's early points., with American, Vincent Pace, making a triple, in a good, 14-2 run. Bugeja brought Depiro back, with his points, with a late flurry from Athleta, and a late Peter Shoults trey. In the second period Bugeja began with a Floriana trey, but Athleta had Shoults and Pace also netting triples. The Greens inched nearer, as Xuereb put in free throws, and later on it was Shawn Pace with a trey. two late hoops had Athleta enjoying a 49-37 halftime advantage.

After the break the two sides repeated the second session score, as Xuereb led the Greens in points obtained, and Athleta relying on their three Americans, Kwame Thompson, Pace and Carson, for their points, with Pace on a second triple. At the time Athleta led 70-55. In the last quarter Floriana aimed to end the match on a good note, and they succeeded, as Bugeja and Xuereb continued to make their points, despite more triples, by Thompson and Luca Stefanovic, for Athleta, who were quite happy to let some initiative fall into their opponents' hands.

After the match Athleta had to wait, to see who their adversaries were going to be, in the final.

Floriana: S. Pace 3, D. Bugeja 32, I. Arias 2, S. Borg, K. Caruana 2, K. Liivamagi 7, C. Calleja, K. Xuereb 23, G. Hulsen 6

Athleta: M. Gauci Montaldo, P. Shoults 6, L. Stefanovic 3, A. Perunicic 4, N. Xuereb, M. Gouder 4, K. Thompson 19, V. Pace 22, I. Mitrovic 3, C. Shanks 2 

Referees: T. Mantere, N. Azzopardi, D. Torok

 

Starlites GIG     92     Depiro     76

Agg. 173-168

 (30-31, 25-17, 13-17, 24-11)

Depiro went into this encounter on the back of an eleven-point advantage, but this did not serve them, till the end, as they were surpassed by the Starlites side, who had to come from a bigger deficit, halfway through the second period. It was only towards the end of the match, that Starlites could make up the leeway, and then ended the game on a 7-0 run, to claim their victory, and a place in the final.

It was Depiro starting well, with the game's first points, and a Keshaun Hamilton trey. Starlites replied with American, Jordan Stotts, points, to tie the score. Hamilton sank a second trey, with Robert Bonnici doing likewise, at the other end. Athleta strode in front, of a lively opening quarter, only for Depiro, to tie the score. American, Cameron ward, went on court, and made his side's last hoops, including a triple, but Depiro held on to their slim lead. The second session had Athleta overturning the score, but the Americans, Trent Steen and Hamilton took Depiro into another lead. Athleta tied the score, but Depiro had a positive parch, as Nicolas Grech, American, Jack Nygaard, and Steen, sank triples, for a maximum advantage. When things looked awry for Starlites, they picked themselves up, and built up a session ending 14-0 run, go in at the interval, on a 55-48 lead.

After the break Athleta went nearer still, to the aggregate score, and another ward trey tied it. Depiro bounced back with a brace of Nygaard triples, with Athleta just a few points ahead, at 68-65, going into the last session. Ward sank another trey, but Depiro were still, on two games. Then it was Alec Felice Pace with a Starlites triple, and his side shot ahead, on aggregate. Nygaard pulled Depiro back ahead, but Starlites had the better ending to the match, with Ward clinching their place in the final, with his points, and a fourth triple.

Starlites: O. Psaila, N. Formosa 4, R. Bonnici 5, C. Ward 25, M. Falzon, A. Felice Pace 9, R. Carabott, M. Scerri, A. Sears 11, J. Tagarelli 16, J. Stotts 22

Depiro: T. Steen 20, K. Hamilton 22, J. Attard, D. Farrugia, A. Aquilina 5, N. Grech 3, O. Said 4, M. Mallia 2, M. Borg, J. Nygaard 20, A. Chomo, A. Attard

Referees: B. Vassallo, Z. Dobrosavljevic, M. Hraisha