Pembroke are the new basketball champions, dethroning Hamrun in the fourth game of the series, when they acquired the desired result, which gave them the championship, besides the Shield and Louis Borg Cup already won earlier in the season. Hamrun could have forced the fifth and deciding match, and they were close enough, but it was Pembroke who walked away with the winning result.
Hamrun started well, with the first three hoops, and although Pembroke recovered, they were still trailing Liberty, who made two treys in a row, to extend their lead, for a better margin after the first session, with Michael Naudi still on the bench for Pembroke, who were also without Matthew Naudi for this match.
In the second session Hamrun went into a maximum lead, after an Omar Said trey, but Pembroke were resilient, and the introduction of Michael Naudi on court served as a fillip. He took time to settle down, but when he did Hamrun were on the receiving end, as he poured in the session's last seven points, to push his side in the lead for the first time. Hamrun found difficulty in penetrating the zone, and at the interval it was a 27-25 game.
After the break Pembroke consolidated their lead, with treys in succession. Liberty settled down and went back in contention, creeping slowly nearer to their opponents. Pembroke sought to keep their lead, and they did so till the end of the session, as they were leading 46-42 with a quarter to go.
Liberty didn't take long to tie the game twice but Pembroke managed to race into a 56-49 advantage. Hamrun grimly fought back to a point difference, and when they were hit again by Pembroke, for a 63-56 score, Liberty repeated their exploits, and once more were just behind Pembroke in the final minute. Michael Naudi's free throws proved decisive as Hamrun tried to stop the clock. Just before the end Karl Borg was ousted from the game, for dissent, as Pembroke started to celebrate their win.
After the match the MBA president, Mag. Antonio Mizzi presented Hamrun with the losers' trophy, and Pembroke were crowned the new champions, for the fifth time in their short history.
Pembroke: 20 Michael Naudi, 17 Kristinn Baldacchino, 13 Adrian Micallef
Hamrun: 16 Omar Said, 14 Albwert Spiteri, 13 Jide Jetson
Referees: Bernard Vassallo, Emanuel Mangani