Commonwealth Games – Basketball: Maltese Girls’ matches in Melbourne sold out

Malta Independent Tuesday, 7 March 2006, 00:00 Last update: about 20 years ago

Malta Basketball Association (MBA) president Magistrate Antonio Mizzi yesterday announced that the Malta girls team playing in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Melbourne will be playing in front of capacity crowds.

He said that it was interesting to note that the matches involving the Maltese girls are all sold out. “This shows the love of the Maltese community over there for this team. Not that we stand a chance of winning a medal, but I am sure that the girls will rise to the occasion and surpass expectations,” he added.

Magistrate Mizzi said the MBA was proud that the team had qualified on its own merit. He said: “This was no wild card. We obtained our qualification as one of the two European teams by winning the bronze medal at the Promotion Cup in Andorra. Of course, in Melbourne, it will be a different story with all the top nations taking part. We are no favourites, but I am confident that the team will cut a good figure.”

Malta is in a group which includes New Zealand, Nigeria and Malaysia. The qualifying matches are to be played as follows: v. New Zealand on 17 March, v. Nigeria on 18 March and v. Malaysia on 20 March. The matches for the placings are to be played on 22 and 23 March.

The other group consists of Australia, England, India and Mozambique.

The MBA president thanked Prof. Santino Coppa and his assistant Carlo Farrugia who delivered the goods since 2002. “Since then, the team has won gold in the Malta 2003 Small Nations Games, the bronze in the Andorra Promotion Cup and again bronze at the Andorra Small Nations Games. But do not forget that in 2002, they started building the team from scratch,” said Magistrate Mizzi. He added: “Prof. Coppa is in love with this team and it is almost a case of having made Malta his country of adoption. In Melbourne, he will have a few new faces. These are Sarah Pace and Fiona Schembri. There are others who have been the whole three years with Prof Coppa and others who have worked with him for a shorter period, but knowing him well, I am sure he will bring the best out of the team.”

The squad also includes Josephine Grima who plays for Priolo in the Italian league and is the only professional in the squad.

Tomorrow, the team leaves for Melbourne together with the Maltese contingent. Apart from the coaches, the team will also be under the leadership of Leonard Falzon.