Loyola managed to do the double over Athleta as they were strengthened once more with Christina grima’s presence. They obtained their opening Shield win after Athleta’s lame start helped their opponents’ cause. It was only a good ending in the last two sessions that gave Athleta a better scoreline.

Athleta had Giulia Muscat back but Francesca Farrugia was injured and Rhian Spiteri was unavailable. Loyola had Grima back from abroad and once more against Athleta. 

Loyola made the better start with a 6-2 lead and Adalia Bonanno points.

Athleta’s response was not so hot and Grima made the last hoops for Loyola to extend their advantage.

In the second session Loyola were still pressing and an 8-2 run took them away from their adversaries who put in a sort of reaction but Jean Doughty sank a triple as Loyola went in at the interval 27-10 ahead.

Grima helped her side to a 12-1 run after the break and she also put in a triple. Athleta made a good recovery with a 7-0 run mostly through free shots which pushed up their score but they were still at a distance when the final session began with Loyola 40-18 in front.

Sammy Jo Barbara netted a brace of hoops for Loyola but Athleta seemed to want a better score more than their opponents when they built up an 8-0 run. Late in the game Chanel Galea also made a triple in another 7-0 run and a more respectable score.

Athleta: R. Sciberras, D. Jager, 9 L. Calleja, 4 L. Sciberras, 2 M. Azzopardi Duca, G. Muscat, 10 C. Galea, 5 K. Busuttil, 5 C. Mifsud

Loyola: 4 J. Doughty, F. Schembri, 2 E. Falzon, M. Gatt, 2 D. Said Hollier, R. Spiteri, 8 A. Bonanno, 18 C. Grima, 4 A. Sciberras, F. Camilleri, 10 SJ Barbara, 2 K. Gouder

Referees: E. Mangani, J. Mangani

Guzelpinar Mtarfa     30

Luxol     71

(4-26)(6-14)(10-17)(10-14)

In this opening match of the Shield Luxol cantered to an easy victory over Mtarfa in their group. Once again Val Drury opted to change his Luxol outfit halfway through a session of play giving all of his players a piece of the action. Mtarfa were more active after the interval when the Violets lost their concentration.

Mtarfa had Carina Gauci Meilak and Diane Falzon missing and included Maria Azzopardi. Luxol were without Lara Chetcuti with Kay Portelli taking her place.

The Violets opened up well and posted a 7-0 run before being stopped by a Gaby Mifsud triple. Luxol took over once more and an 11-0 run followed before there was a change in court. Mtarfa had already fallen way behind after the first session.

Mtarfa netted a couple of hoops in the second period when Luxol went back on track although not with the same intensity as before. Steffi De Martino sank a triple and the Violets were 40-10 ahead at the interval.

Mtarfa were more in the action after the break as Nicola Said and Martha Abela sank their treys although De Martino also made her second triple. Luxol then had a good ending to the session with a 10-0 run as they opened up their lead again.

Mtarfa tried for the same tactics in the last quarter but this time they were denied by Luxol who put in a

9-0 run.

Players continued to enter on court at regular intervals till the end with the match decided well before. 

Mtarfa: 5 M. Abela, 2 M. Azzopardi, R. Sammut, Y. Muscat, 3 M. Mifsud, M. Agius, 3 N. Said, 2 G. Santillo, 8 CM Vella, 2 M. Scicluna, 5 G. Mifsud, A. Demanuele

Luxol: 8 E. Moore, 12 M. Sciortino, 2 L. Serge, B. Naudi, K. Portelli, 15 S. De Martino, 3 T. De Martino, 1 P. Ellul, 13 D. Muscat, J. Carbonell, 9 E. Grech, 4 B. Zammit

Referees: G. Barbara, B. Sly

Hibs Medsea     66

St Andrews     24

(23-2)(13-9)(8-11)(22-2)

The champions had an easy task in their first group match and a sweeping opening session and a repeat in the last quarter gave them a very comfortable victory which was expected given the difference between the two sides. The Saints had the satisfaction of a good run against superior opponents.

Hibs had Kirsten Baldacchino back soon after her marriage last weekend as they were guided by Winnie Buhagiar in the absence of coach Mario Tabone. St Andrews had Madeleine De Martino and Renette Magro absent.

The champions subjected the Saints to some stiff pressure when they started with triples by Lucienne Bezzina and Micallef. After a lone Saints basket the Paolites went on with a long 17-0 run and a second Micallef trey till the end of the period.

The Saints were better in the second session but were still hit by more triples from Francesca Tabone Bezzina and Emma Micallef. It was Josette Calleja with a reply from St. Andrews including a trey. At the interval Hibs were 36-11 in front.

After the break the Paolites began with an 8-2 run but then they became careless allowing the Saints to go on a long 10-0 run with successive points from Nadia Cassar for a welcome breather.

Hibs returned to normal duties in the last session as the Saints were put under pressure once more. Bezzina netted her third triple in an 8-0 run and the champions then made a further 14-0 run with a second Emma Micallef trey to finish off the encounter.

Hibs: 8 E. Micallef, 5 E. Cassar, M. Zammit, 18 L. Bezzina, 5 F. Tabone, D. Micallef, 8 A. Darmanin, 2 N. Arrigo, 8 K. Micallef, 12 J. Cardona, C. Schiavone

St. Andrews: R. De Martino, 7 N. Cassar, 11 J. Calleja, N. Scicluna, M. Caruana, 4 J. Mangion, 2 E. Cachia, I. Galea 

Referees: JP Sammut, R. Darmanin