WILLIE VASSALLO

Bupa assured themselves of a place in the play off final, leaving Compleet and Siggiewi to settle it out between themselves for the other final spot. Bupa kept up their winning sequence against Compleet, with this seventh win in eight matches this season. A good start ensured a sufficient lead, to itd e them over for the rest of the game, as Compleet had their work cut out to make up the leeway.

Bupa could control with panache, as they always had enough in reserve to push their lead ahead, and deny Compleet any chamce of real recovery.

Bupa had a positive start, putting a 9-0 run, as the duo, Matijevic/Dirk Schembri provided the goods. Compleet replied with a couple of hoops, but Bupa gave no respite to their opponents, and another 7-0 run pushed them clear. Michael Naudi dragged Compleet back with his points, including a glorious trey in the last secondsm from fully twenty metres away.

In the second quarter Bupa kept control, and prevented Compleet from chipping away any points from their deficit. After establishing a 25-13 lead, it was Steve Schembri and Robert Azzopardi, with their treys, to neutralise Compleet’s hoops. Compleet still pressed in the latter part of the session, but they couldn’t prevent Bupa from going in at the interval on a double figure lead, at 37-26.

After the break both teams’ appetites for points resulted in a high scoring quarter, with both attacks replying steadily to each other’s forays. Compleet lost Michael Naudi, injured in attack, early on, a slap in the face for them. No team could make any significant break, and Bupa’s lead held its course. Towards the end of the session Compleet did manage a 9-3 run. as Adrian Micallef sank a Compleet trey, but Bupa responded with their points, and after three sessions Bupa held a 57-48 lead.

In the final quarter a 7-2 opening run by Bupa, with a second Azzopardi trey, put Bupa clear. Compleet came back, but Bupa’s hoops always found the target, keeping them just that little bit ahead, with Compleet at bay. Compleet lost two players on fouls, in their last efforts to gain ground. Bupa held firm, and then applied the finishing touch with a thrid Azzopardi trey, and the Violets were home and dry.

Bupa: R. Dalli, 3 M. Mercieca, 13 R. Azzopardi, M. Micallef, 4 A. Borg, S. Mizzi, M. Bonnici, T. Paris, 15 D. Schembri, E. Caruana Momtaldo, 24 M. Matijevic, 15 S. Schembri

Compleet: 16 M. Naudi, I. Buldakov, C. Calleja, 4 E. Bezzina, J. Galea, 8 T. Riolo, 10 O. Said, 10 A. Micallef, 12 K. Baldacchino, 6 S. Cassar, R. Mifsud

Referees: Bernard Vassallo, Gordon Barbara, Alfred Carbonaro