MBA Shield (Men 2 Div.)

Mellieha SVS 68 vs Loyola 67

(7-9)(13-10)(13-9)(10-17) – (7-7) – (9-9) – (9-8)

The first time to go into overtime this season, and it was a triple overtime at that. Mellieha now go top of the standings in this competition. Both teams produced endeavour in this marathon match, and Loyola must bemoan the fact that they were always leading in all the overtimes, but then had to succumb to a single point difference.

Mellieha had the better opening, going on to a 7-2 lead, but Loyola recovered well. and till the end of the session they had managed to overturn the score, and lead by a basket. In the next quarter it was Mellieha again, at the start, with a Graham Coleiro double, but Loyola took the match in hand, and a 10-0 run, aided by Trevor Grech free shots, opened a good lead. This was neutralised by a resurgent Mellieha, who dominated play till the interval, and a 9-0 run gave them a slight, and low, 20-19 advantage.

After the break it was Loyola, through Jonathan Ransley, who went ahead, but Mellieha again produced good form, and an 11-0 run, with an Ian Terribile trey, gave them enough of a lead, to hold on till the end of the third session, leading 33-28.

In the last quarter Loyola relied on their treys, gaining three, and a double from Clayton Agius, and also going 41-37 in front. Mellieha produced enough till the buzzer, to tie the game, on a 43-43 score, and go into overtime,

In the first extra period it was Loyola who were in front, with another Clayton Agius trey, but Mellieha saved the game again, and on a 50-50 score the two sides had to endure another overtime. This second one saw Trevor Grech, with his points, including a trey, give Loyola another advantage. Robert Loporto sank a trey for Mellieha, to keep the game close, as both sides were still going flat out. Joshua Aquilina put in another trey, and Mellieha were just a point down. In the final ten seconds Loporto put in his second trey to push the match into the third session of overtime.

The treys were still pouring in from both sides, as players were finding more space. Once more it was Loyola who went in the lead, with Mellieha always chasing the score. At the end it was a Michael Pisani trey which brought a definite result for Mellieha, handing Loyola their first defeat.

Mellieha: 17 Michael Pisani, 15 Robert Loporto, 14 Ian Terribile

Loyola: 16 Trevor Grech, 14 Clayton Agius

Referees: Gordon Barbara, Jean Paul Sammut

MBA Shield (Men 2 Div.)

SN Suns Bell Med 62 vs Mosta 49

(24-5)(19-11)(12-13)(7-20)

Suns could only muster five players for this match, due to various difficulties regarding the other members of the squad, but they still managed to win this encounter, in a comfortable fashion, helped in no small way by an inept Mosta side, who were not bothered in any defensive play, and made enough mistakes in attack, to give Suns enough space throughout practically the whole match. Suns thus recovered from their single hoop defeat by Loyola, whilst Mosta succumbed to their second defeat.

This game started off briskly by both sides at first, but then Hubert Agius took over completely for Suns and, left with enough space from the sides, he stunned Mosta with his treys and hoops, as Suns enjoyed a 13-0 run, towards the end of the session.

In the second quarter Mosta seemed to stage a rally, but found Hubert Agius still in an uncompromising mood, and his treys kept on pouring in, six in all. The latter part of the session was all Suns, as they embarked on another 12-0 run.

At the interval Mosta were already a sorry loy, as they trailed 16-43, intensely feeling the absence of experienced players, Ray Muscat and Steve Gouder.

After the break the Suns’ scoring started to die down, and Mosta managed an 11-4 run, but they didn’t keep up the pressure, and Suns were allowed back in the game, although unable to make any substitutions. An 8-2 run pushed Suns’ lead forward, in a 55-29 score, to make the issue safe.

In the last quarter Mosta went out to make the score more respectable. They did manage to get nearer to their opponents, but the gap was too big, and Suns could play on in the safe assumption of a victory.

Suns: 32 Hubert Agius, 11 Mark Schembri

Mosta: 14 Sascha Saakian, 10 Oliver Sammut

Referees: Bernard Vassallo, Stephen Micallef

Enemalta Shield (Women – Group B)

Depiro 87 vs SN Suns JC 14

(24-6)(20-2)(16-2)(27-4)

Suns were making their first appearance this season, bringing in some new faces, who however were no match to a Depiro side, still smarting over their defeat by Loyola. Coach, Charles Bonnici, found time to include all his players on court, as Depiro strolled through their second group game. In this match there was the return of ex-international referee, Anthony Micallef, as he is now back from abroad, and will give his contribution towards the

officiating side of the game this season.

Suns had quite a good opening, replying with a two hoop burst to the initial Depiro basket, as Petra Zammit and Cettina Caruana put Suns in front. Depiro then took over, and scored regularly, as Sarah Pace and Greta Zarb did most of the damage.

In the second quarter Suns found it even more difficult to obtain points, and were only limited to free throws. Depiro, with a fully changed side on court, took time to settle down, then pierced their opponents’ defence at will, and at the interval it was a decisive 44-8 score.

After the break Suns were still on the receiving end, but Depiro’s scoring rate was slowly abating. A late Cettina Caruana hoop was all Suns could show, as Depiro’s advantage kept on increasing, and had grown to a 60-8 score after three sessions.

In the last quarter Suns were still tormented, mainly through Greta Zarb, and she also found space to sink in the only two treys of the match. Depiro could afford to become a little careless in the latter stages of the game,which they would surely rue, in other more important encounters.

Depiro: 25 Greta Zarb, 13 Sarah Pace, 10 Joselle Cardona

Suns: 4 Cettina Caruana

Referees: Emanuel Mangani, Anthony Micallef