Valletta had it tougher than expected, as Mosta put up a spirited resistance, before finally succumbing in the very late stages of the match. The Citizens could never establish a convincing lead, as Mosta’s spearheads, Gouder and Sammut, kept their side in the hunt. A closing run sealed Mosta’s fate, and Valletta are well and truly in the struggle for a final three place.

Mosta, led by Steve Gouder, had the better of the opening stages, going on to a 9-4 advantage. Valletta then turned the score around, with Matthew Shoults points, and a Gauci Grech trey, after an 8-0 run. The match then balanced out, as Shoults kept putting in his shots, and Oliver Sammut repleid likewise for Mosta. Valletta held on to their first-session lead.

In the second quarter play was still even, as the Citizens had Godfrey Cini to reply to Steve Gouder’s hoops for Mosta, and Valletta held on to a 25-22 lead. Shoults’ points were neutralised by Oliver Sammut’s treys.

Valletta opened their lead once more, but Gouder came up with a trey for a closer score. Mark Pace sank a last second trey for the Citizens, and a 36-31 score, a similar lead to the opening quarter.

After the break Mosta put in a spurt, and an 8-0 run, ending with a second Sammut trey, gave them an advantage. The scoring fell down drastically, as Valletta took some time to tie the score twice. Later in the session Don Ross sank a trey, and the Citizens regained their lead. After three sessions they led by a 45-42 score.

In the final quarter Valletta had a reply to Mosta’s opening points, but later on Adrian Pace made a trey for Mosta, for a 48-48 tie.

Aziz Mehmedov’s points for the Citizens, and Shoults’ trey put their side on a slight lead, as time was running out.

Mosta had to stop the clock, but Mark Pace sank his free shots, to put the match beyond reach of their adversaries.

Valletta: 19 Matthew Shoults, 11 Don Ross, 9 Mark Pace

Mosta: 22 Steve Gouder, 21 Oliver Sammut

Referees: Jean Paul Sammut, Alfred Coarbonaro

Qormi Kia 56

Bell Med SN Suns 60

(16-7)(6-9)(20-17)(14-27)

After their overtime loss to Valletta, a few days ago, Suns made sure of a place in the final three matches, as they just got the better of a Qormi side, who now have their work cut out, to fill one of the two remaining places in the championship race.

Both teams had their moments, but the opposing outfit always came back to wipe out heavy deficits. At the end Suns got the verdict, but Qormi could feel that they did enough to win the match.

After an early Reno Camilleri well-worked out hoop for Suns, it was Qormi who took the game in hand, starting with a Joshua Anastasi trey. They made up a 10-0 run, but Suns settled down, though they couldn’t get any nearer, having difficulty in obtaining points. Qormi maintained their advantage till the end of the opening session.

In the second quarter the Agius Brothers brought Suns nearer, with theri points, but Qormi had a decent rep0ly, and some free throws put them on a double figure lead, at 21-11, Suns improved a little, and managed to crawl back, through Sam Farrugia’s. It was still a low-score match, and at the interval Qormi were resting on a 22-16 advantage.

After the break Qormi kept control for a while, and could reply to Suns’ opening points. Suns then came to life, and a 9-2 run produced a trio of treys, two by Clayton Agius and another by Sam Farrugia. That levelled the score, at 27-27, but Suns were hit again as Qormi returned with an 9-0 run. Suns stopped the break, but Qormi promptly came back with another 7-0 run, and Suns found themselves well in arrears. Hubert Agius helped them to claw back, with a brace of hoops, and after three sessions Qormi were 42-33 in the lead.

In the final quarter Suns seemed a transformed side. Clayton Agius’ trey started off an 11-0 run, as Suns went in front.

Qormi rallied, and Antoine Grech sank a trey, as his team scrambled back in the lead. Suns’ reply was instant, and a Michel Curmi trey in a 7-0 run overturned the score.

Qormi had Roberto Formosa sinking a trey, and the lead changed hands twice, with Suns losing the Agius brothers on fouls, before Clayton Agius put in his fourth trey, for the last decisive lead. Michel Curmi closed down the match, seconds from the end, with his free shots.

Qormi: 15 Joshua Anastasi, 15 Roberto Formosa, 13 Antoine Grech

Suns: 18 Clayton Agius, 13 Hubert Agius, 8 Sam Farrugia

Referees: Emanuel Mangani, David Sutr

Standings

19 Bell Med SN Suns (8-3); 17 St. James Hospital (7-3); 14 Qormi Kia (5-4); 14 Valletta Ballers (5-4); 11 Mosta (0-11).