It was a cracker of a match, as the two sides were meeting for the sixth time this season, with the champions winning once more, just a few days after their MBA Shield success.

Compleet seem to be developing a mental block, now that Marco Matijevic is back to playing a whole game against them. They started well enough, and enjoyed good leads until midway through the third session, but once the Violets pressed in earnest it was Compleet back-pedalling, and they had to chase the score for practically the whole of the last quarter.

They rallied towards the end, grabbing slim leads twice, but it was BUPA who had the last laugh, as they wrapped up the match in the remaining seconds. In this last match of the second round BUPA managed to overhaul Compleet, who still lead on basket difference.

BUPA are awaiting the return of the Schembri brothers, with Dirk arriving ahead of Steve, in the coming days. Compleet had Chris Sammut on the sick list, but they recovered Silvio Cassar.

In a closely fought opening session BUPA replied to Compleet’s first hoop with Marco Matijevic points, including a trey. Compleet overturned the score, but it was the champions with a 7-0 run, and a Robert Azzopardi trey, to follow.

Julian Naudi was having a positive outing, and his trey started off the team’s return, although they were on a single point deficit after the first quarter.

Michael Naudi began the second session with three hoops in a row, in an 8-0 run. BUPA could only answer till midway through the period, to keep in touch, but they were hit by a brace of treys, as Michael Naudi and Julien Valdiserra found their mark, in a good

9-0 run.

BUPA managed to retaliate late in the session, but Compleet still held a 34-25 advantage at the interval.

After the break, and the champions’ opening hoop, Compleet extended their lead further. BUPA came back to their original deficit, at 33-42, but a 7-2 Compleet run, as Addison Bonnici was distinguishing himself in the zone, pushed them to a healthy advantage.

Robert Azzopardi stopped them with his personal points, as the Violets crept nearer. They ended the period with a 7-2 run, and went to within a 48-52 score after three sessions, with the alarm bells ringing for Compleet.

BUPA took no time to forge in front, with a 7-0 run, but Compleet returned with a David Camilleri trey, only for Azzopardi to reply likewise for BUPA. Silvio Cassar’s points took Compleet back to the lead, but BUPA drew level on three occasions, as Matijevic was deadly in close range shooting.

Omar Said put Compleet ahead for the last time, but Matijevic struck once more. and in the final seconds Abraham Portelli’s three point play assured the champions of their win, and Azzopardi sealed it up with a final fast break.

BUPA: R. Dalli, 6 M. Mercieca, 25 R. Azzopardi, M. Micallef, 4 A. Borg, 9 A. Portelli, N. Vasovic, T. Paris, 2 B. Micallef Trigona, E. Caruana Montaldo, 29 M. Matijevic

Compleet: 22 M. Naudi, 13 J. Naudi, 3 D. Camilleri, E. Bezzina, 5 J. Valdiserra, 7 O. Said, C. Calleja, 10 A. Bonnici, K. Baldacchino, 9 S. Cassar

Referees: Gordon Barbara, Jean Paul Sammut, Stephen Micallef

* * *

Siggiewi Smina 93

Qormi 65

(20-12)(22-15)(32-18)(19-20)

n a high scoring match which reflected the abilities in the attacking side of both teams, Siggiewi are safe in their third position in the standings. It was their third seasonal win over Qormi, as they were led by a resourceful Peter Shoults, who put in his points as if tomorrow will never come.

Qormi also had their three point stars in Karl Borg and Antoine Costa, but Siggiewi were on top of their game, and produced a lively performance, to raise hopes of a better sequence till the end of the season.

Siggiewi still had Louis Camilleri and Clayton Agius missing. Absent for Qormi were a spate of players, Keith Scicluna, Roberto Formosa, Simon Cauchi and Jason Dalli, but they recovered Alex Tabone and Adrian Baldacchino.

Qormi opened the proceedings with a Karl Borg trey, but Siggiewi had a ready reply, with a 9-2 run, and a Peter Shoults trey. After a Qormi hoop siggiewi were back again, with a 7-0 run.

Qormi retaliated towards the end of the period, and they ended with a Costa trey, to cut down on their deficit. In the second quarter Siggiewi were putting in their points once more, although they were hit again by another Costa trey, in an 8-3 run. A little later it was Shoults for Siggiewi, as he poured in two treys in a row, for a 34-17 lead.

Qormi were back in the game, putting in their own hoops, with a second Karl Borg trey, but in the last minute of the session Shoults sank his fourth trey, for a good 42-27 advantage to Siggiewi at the interval.

After the break Siggiewi continued with their slick performance, as they tore through the Qormi defence. The latter, however, were quite positive in attack, and after suffering another 3-11 run against, with Costa making a trey for them, they replied with a further trey by Borg and more points.

Qormi still had a hefty deficit to make up, and when Siggiewi produced a 10-2 run, starting with another Shoults trey, the arrears opened up more. Costa sank his fourth trey for Qormi, but after three sessions Siggiewi were high and dry, on a 74-45 advantage.

The last quarter was played in a more open manner. The treys kept coming, with Eman Xuereb, JP Antoncic and JP Bonnici for Siggiewi, and three more by Borg for Qormi, as he crowned a good performance.

Siggiewi never relinquished their solid lead, and went on to record their highest score of the season, but Qormi will surely be satisfied that they could tot up such a score with their present weakened side.

Siggiewi: 5 JP Antoncic, 2 J. Doughty, 6 E. Xuereb, 4 I. Mercieca, 29 P. Shoults, 12 JP Bonnici, 17 A. Micallef, 12 P. Vulovic, 6 J. Jetson

Qormi: G. Borg, J. Sant, 4 A. Baldacchino, 4 J. Anastasi, 6 A. Tabone, 24 K. Borg, 13 A. Axiaq, 14 A. Costa, C. Bugeja

Referees: Emanuel Mangani, Alfred Carbonaro, Clive Terribile

Standings

Compleet IS SW 15 pts; BUPA Luxol 15; Siggiewi Smina 12; Depiro 10, Qormi 8.