Sliema made the first step to hold on to the title won last season, beating off a determined Siggiewi challenge.

The game was played before probably the biggest crowd of the season, and provided thrills and excitement. What was not welcome was the trivial incident which escalated, and led to the sending off of a player from each team, which will prevent them from playing in the second match, next Sunday.

Despite Siggiewi’s wholehearted approach to this game Sliema always seemed to have the edge, as they play with confidence, and feel certain of pulling the rersult their way.

The only absentee was Siggiewi’s Eman Xuereb, still abroad, and his place was taken by Ian Mercieca, and Louis Camilleri returned after his recent injury.

Tight marking was the order of the day, as Sliema went into a 5-1 lead, with a Silvio Cassar hoop and trey.

Siggiewi’s attempts to make up the leeway did not bear fruit, and Sliema advanced to a 12-5 score. Siggiewi suddenly clicked, and a long 11-0 run gave them an advantage. Sliema broke up the sequence, and posted a 10-0 run of their own, ending with treys by Etienne Bezzina, and a last second one by MIcheal Naudi.

In the second quarter David Camilleri’s trey brought them back into contention, but the Sliema freethrows pushed them forward again.

Siggiewi’s penchant of trying to force themselves into the zone was hampering them, and when they played wide, David Camilleri’s trey helped in a small 6-2 run. Omar Said’s hoop for Sliema gave them some more breathing space, and at the interval they could rest on a 32-25 advantage.

After the break Sliema imposed their style of play, and an 8-2 run, ending with a Duncan Cuschieri trey, put them on a better lead. Siggiewi did have a reply, in a 9-3 run, with a Peter Shoults trey, but they suffered an Omar Said trey at the other end.

Siggiewi were still not within striking distance, as Sliema kept them at arms’ length, although a glorious Addison Bonnici trey from fully 25 metres out was just foiled by the buzzer, as Sliema led 49-41.

Siggiewi came out strongly in the last quarter, and a JP Azzopardi trey started a 7-2 run, which gave them hope, but they were jolted by a second Naudi trey.

They still came back to 53-56 down, but Sliema had a stiff reply in a 7-0 run, with a third Naudi trey. Azzopardi was injured for Siggiewi, and took no further part in the game.

Then came the stupid incident, which led to the dismissal of Sliema’s Adrian Micallef and Siggiewi’s Albert Spiteri.

Sliema kept their end up, and when Siggiewi tried to stop the clock, the resulting free throws served to pull Sliema clear at the end.

SLIEMA: 25 M. Naudi, J. Zammit, C. Calleja, 8 E. Bezzina, J. Galea, T. Riolo, 9 O. Said, 2 A. Micallef, 5 D. Cuschieri, 4 K. Baldacchino, 15 S. Cassar, J. Gatt

SIGGIEWI: 6 A. Spiteri, L. Camilleri, 17 D. Camilleri, J. Doughty, 4 A. Portelli, 3 JP Azzopardi, 11 P. Shoults, 2 JP Bonnici, 15 A. Bonnici, S. Sammut, A. Huizer, I. Mercieca

REFEREES: Bernard Vassallo, Gordon Barbara, Stephen Micallef