Malta 102

Andorra 84

(30-13)(23-15)(23-30)(26-26)

It turned out to be a high scoring match as the Malta lads put in another strong performance with Samuel Dehuara the point of reference, as Andorra tried, without success to nullify his threat.

Deguara made his highest personal score yet in these games, but he was a given a good helping hand from the other players, notably Nigel Sultana, Tevin Falzon and the returning David Bugeja, who had missed the two previous games, due to his unavailability. Andorra also rose to the occasion, but they were never near enough, and had to trail at a distance for practically the whole encounter.

Malta made a solid start, with an opening 14-2 run. Andorra tried to make amends, but the locals were a confident lot, and they ambled on to a strong lead till the end of the session, despite a late Dabad trey. In the second session Andorra replied quickly to Malta's opening hoop, but a JP SChembri triple started off a 9-0 run, as Malta went more clear. Andorra had Farfan with his treys, but Deguara was putting in his hoops, and at the interval the Maltese side had gone on to a convincing 53-28 advantage.

After the break Andorra had Malta stung with their treys, as Colom was putting in one after the other, but Deguara at the other end was piling up his personal tally. Andorra came back again towards the end of the period, and it was Vives and Farfan with thier triples, but Malta had enough of a lead, at 76-59, with a session to go.

Deguara was providing the distraction, as Falzon and Sultana put in their points in the final session. The Maltese were after the century, and although Andorra also totted up a high score, they were unable to stop their adversaries, and the locals reached the century in the late stages of the match. The Maltese are still improving from game to game, and they will have their last test today, when they will meet Gibraltar in the final, the latter making it in the last seconds of their match, against a determined Moldova outfit.

Malta: 13 D. Bugeja, 5 JP Schembri, E. BOnello, C. Pereira, G. Cuschieri, 21 N. Sultana, 18 T. Falzon, 5 T. Paris, 2 A. Axiaq, M. Giusti, R. Galea, 38 S. Deguara

Andorra: P. Gonzales, R. Casellas, 2 X. Montane, 1 A. Palleja, 23 G. Colom, M. Palou, 18 O. Cabanas, 14 E. Vives, 14 A. Farfan, 6 M. Dabad,B. Altimir, 6 A. Ribeiro

Referees: Tolga Sahin (ITA), Haydn Jones (WAL), Francis Santos (GIB)

Other results:

Semi final

Gibraltar-Moldova 59-57

5th-7th place

Monaco-Wales 57-93

Today’s programme

11am 5-7 place Wales-San Marino; 2.45pm 3rd and 4th place Andorra-Moldova; 5pm final Malta-Gibraltar