The start of this phase practically ensured Hibs of one of the two places in the final, given the points that they had already taken in the previous round.

They found stiff opposition in the first part of the match, but the third session, after the break, proved to be Loyola's downfall, as they went drastically behind, and the difference was prohibitive in the remaining time.

The champions had captain Lucienne Bezzina missing on court again, and it could be that she will miss the rest of this year's play.

Loyola went for tight marking from the start. They fell 2-5 behind, but as the session progressed, an Ann Camilleri trey gave them the lead. The Paolites recovered to post an advantage till the end of the quarter, as Doreen Parnis led her team to a slight lead.

In the second session Hibs extended their lead with a trio of hoops, but Loyola rallied, and a Sammy Jo Barbara trey got them close. At the interval Hibs were leading 29-24.

After the break the Paolites turned the game around in their favour. Loyola's efforts weren't ending in hoops, as Hibs opened the session with a 10-2 run.

After suffering a further free shot, the champions went on till the end of the quarter, with another 8-0 run, as Bev Zammit's points helped her side to a 47-27 lead, with a session to go.

Loyola were stung into action, to make up for their disappointing play the session before. Ann Camilleri sank a couple of treys, in a 10-3 run, but Zammit also made two treys for Hibs, as they recovered, to kill off any hopes that Loyola had of making a grand comeback.

Camilleri made her fourth trey, late in the match, and young Jean Doughty put her name down for a further trey. Hibs were quite content with the result, as they strolled through, to their fourth seasonal win over their opponents.

LOYOLA: 15 Sandra Schembri Wismayer, 13 Ann Camilleri

HIBS: 24 Doreen Parnis, 17 Beverlee Zammit

REFEREES: Jean Paul Sammut, Anthony Micallef