The Mellieha Basketball team recently presented their team for the forthcoming season. Fourteen years since being established, the team managed to succeed in winning the second division league unbeaten while winning the MBA Shield at the start of the season.
Acting President Hilary Fenech thanked all those people who have contributed to the success of this team, from the founder of the team, Herbert Azzopardi, to the never forgotten benefactor and friend Adrian Bartolo. The team’s new name was revealed as Mellieha Bullets SVS Reflections.
Last season Mellieha managed to reinforce the team with two important transfers, Michael Pisani and Julian Naudi to complement an already talented and young team. This season’s promotion to the first division required further strengthening. The team has been strengthened further by signing Christopher Sammut and Jide Jetson (ex-Luxol), Eman Xuereb (ex-Siggiewi) and Trevor Degorgio (ex-Pembroke). One more signing is expected if the negotiations are concluded successfully.
The Mellieha Basketball Nursery is instrumental for the team. As a matter of fact, nine of the 14 players in the team last season were brought up through the nursery.
It has been decided that the Mellieha Basketball team will compete in the U-15 and U-13 categories for Boys and Girls, and Mini-basketball.
The Nursery has started its training sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays for boys (both categories) at 5.30pm and Wednesdays and Fridays for girls (both categories) at 5.30pm. Mini-basketball sessions have been set up for Saturday mornings at 8.30am.
Mellieha mayor John Buttigieg congratulated the team for making Mellieha proud and reminded the players that although pressure will be on the rise since the league is more competitive, sports should always have an element of fun.
Robert Cutajar – Representative of Sectional Committee Mellieha PN – donated to the team two Basketball rings to be hung in the school area for the use of children when the Primary School is closed.
Cutajar also confirmed that a pilot project ‘Girls on the Move’ would soon be initiated in Mellieha.
Finally the committee thanked all the players for their sacrifices and commitment to training even at times at odd hours, the supporters for their continuous backing throughout the season, the main sponsors, Reflections Sports Bar and Grill, SVS Leisures, nursery sponsor Xemxija Pit Stop.
Special thanks go out to Mellieha Sports Club Vice President, Joseph Fenech, Mellieha Mayor, John Buttigieg, and Mellieha PN Representative Robert Cutajar for their enthusiasm in the sport.