The match resulted in a closely fought one with a healthy score.

Loyola managed to win the opening session and also kept pace in the remaining periods although Luxol nearly always held an advantage.

Both sides posses players renowned for their three point prowess and they could increase their respective team’s tally. It was only towards the latter stages of the game that BUPA made sure of the result when they esptablished a double figure lead but Loyola were still able to enhance their score till the final buzzer.

Luxol fielded a somewhat different team from last season after the departure of some players. Gone were the Schembri brothers and Alan Borg and in came Antoine Costa from Siggiewi. Mark Micallef was back in the side and Andrew Micallef Trigona and Edward Bonello were upgraded. Andrew Cremona was back from abroad and there was more playing time for Tom Paris and NikolaVasovic.

Loyola lost Kristin Baldacchino his place taken by Alex Tabone ex-Siggiewi. Other new faces were Joshua Anastasi from Qormi and Francesco Nicastro from the lower ranks.

Loyola made the better start with a 7-2 run and a Stefan Vella triple. Paris and Robert Azzopardi the latter also with a trey helped Luxol to remain close to their adversaries. For the rest of the session it was David Camilleri with three more triples to keep Loyola in the lead.

In the second period Luxol jumped in front with an 8-0 break. Loyola’s reaction came from more triples from Camilleri and Clint Cassar. At one time they drew level and also forged in front. Two Azzopardi treys took Bupa into another advantage and by the interval they were on a 38-35 lead.

The triples were not lacking at Luxol’s end after the break.

Marco Mercieca and Costa nailed theirs in a 10-2 run to give their side more room. Loyola had Jovan Mihailovic with his points including free shots and late in the period they made up a 9-0 run ending with a Billy Zammit trey.

Earlier on, they last Tabone on two unsportsmanlike fouls, but they ended the session with a Billy Zammit trey.

At the start of the final session BUPA enjoyed a 60-52 favourable score. After Luxol’s opening points Loyola’s spurt gave them more free throws and some hope despite a further triple by Mercieca for the Violets.

In the remaining time Luxol made sure of the result with an

8-2 break and a Vasovic triple. Loyola’s reply was an Anastasi trey which came too late for them to be of any consideration till the end of the match.

Luxol BUPA: E. Bonello, 16 M. Mercieca, 22 R. Azzopardi, 1 A. Micallef Trigona, M. Micallef, 5 A. Costa, 7 N. Vasovic, 13 T. Paris, 7 A. Cremona, E. Caruana Montaldo, 8 JP Bonnici

Loyola: 1 S. Pace, 9 B. Zammit, 17 D. Camilleri, 5 C. Cassar, S. Borg, M. Cilia, 9 S. Vella, 3 A. Axiaq, 17 J. Mihailovic, 3 J. Anastasi, F. Nicastro, 2 A. Tabone

Refeees: E. Mangani, JP Sammut, C, Terribile