The season’s first honour went Bupa’s way, as they overcame an opening deficit, and surmounted a second one, at the start of the last quarter, to land their sixth Shield win, after a lapse of three years. They lasted the match better than their opponents, who were shocked in the last session, and conceded a large break, which they couldn’t put right. It was a tense final at first, but an intriguing one, which satisfied the crowd present, with the fare presented.
It was Compleet with the better start, and a 7-2 run, with points by Michael Naudi and Silvio Cassar. treys at both ends, Naudi again and Robert Azzopardi for Bupa, then saw Compleet holding on to their lead, before Bupa began to find each other accurately. They tied the score twice, before the end of the period, with both teams very wary of each other.
In the second session there still wasn’t anything to choose from both sides. It was Bupa who had to endure Compleet’s advantage for some time, after an opening Omar Said trey. Steve Schembri was having a great time, at both ends, and Marco Matijevic was the getting the better of play in the zone, to put the Violets in front. Etienne Bezzina’s hoops weren’t enough for Compleet, and at the interval it was Bupa 32-28 ahead.
After the break Bupa went further in front, but a Baldacchino trey for Compleet was quickly followed by a second Azzopardi trey at the other end. Compleet started to get the better of things, and an 8-2 run, ending with a second Naudi trey, tied the score, at 39-39. Bupa went in front again, but Compleet were playing confidently, going ahead with a 7-0 run, to finish the session on a favourable 46-41 score.
In the final quarter Bupa came roaring back, and Matijevic points, including a fast break dunk, helped the Violets to regain the lead. Their run went up to a double-figure break, at 12-0, only being stopped by a Duncan Cuschieri trey, but Azzopardi did the same for Bupa, as they grimly held on, despite Compleet’s frantic press. Compleet had to make their last effort, with time running out, but it was not to be, as Bupa played out the remaining time, to emerge victorious, and avenge their earlier Shield defeat by Compleet, at the start of the season.
After the match Bupa made merry after being awarded the MBA Shield, with captain, Robert Azzopardi being handed the Shield by MBA president, Mag. Antonio Mizzi
Compleet: 16 M. Naudi, J. Zammit, C. Calleja, 4 E. Bezzina, J. Galea, T. Riolo, 11 O. Said, 9 A. Micallef, 5 D. Cuschieri, 6 K. Baldacchino, 7 S. Cassar, R. Mifsud
Bupa: M. Mercieca, 15 R. Azzopardi, M. Micallef, 5 A. Borg, A. Bianchi, M. Bonnici, T. Paris, 6 D. Schembri, E. Caruana Montaldo, 25 M. Matijevic, 14 S. Schembri
Referees: Bernard Vassallo, Jean Paul Sammut