Siggiewi 70

Bupa Luxol 67

(18-17, 17-13, 14-22, 21-15)

Although Siggiewi held good leads in the second session, the match was close for most of the time, \nd it was finally resolved with late points. Luxol’s American, with his solo play, made up a staggering eight triples, and a total of thirty eight points, but these were not enough to put his side in the final. Siggiewi saw to that with their gritty, never say die, play, to keep their place in this competition.

Siggiewi had Marco Matejevic missing, along with Jide Jetson, now a regular absentee. Luxol now have their registered American, Jeron Belin, after his sojourn in the Gozo Cup.

The lead changed hands three times in the opening flurry, before Belin sank his first triple, but Luxol’s lead did not last long, as Nigel Sultana was hitting home for Siggiewi. Luxol’s reaction brought them a 7-0 run, with another Belin trey. Siggiewi struck back, with an Alan Borg triple, but their new lead was snuffed with Belin’s other trey. Till the end of the period Siggiewi were just in front. In the second quarter it was siggiewi going forward, with an 11-2 run, and a second Borg triple, as their advantage went into double figures. Lee Ross tried to get the Violets back in the match, but Siggiewi were holding on until Luxol came up with a 7-0 run, and a CJ Cordina triple. The deficit went down to a 35-30 score, to Siggiewi, at the interval.

After the break the Violets lost no time in drawing level, only for Siggiewi to put in a brace of hoops. Luxol turned the score around once more, with Belin’s triples going in again. Siggiewi’s replies arrived at every instance, and with the lead changing hands once more, Belin’s last points, including a sixth trey, had Luxol on a 52-49 advantage. In the final quarter, after suffering an early hoop, Siggiewi came abck strongly, with their triples, two by Peter Shoults, and another from Eman Xuereb. The Violets responded with points, and a triple from Belin, and the score was tied again. Siggiewi regained their advantage, with Belin netting a further triple, his eighth, before being fouled out in attack. Siggiewi’s lead had gone down to a single point, with a Ross triple for the Violets, but in the seconds remaining, it was Shoults’ free throws to seal his side’s victory, as Siggiewi went into a third consecutive Shield final

Siggiewi R. Agius, 12 L. Camilleri, 9 P. Shoults, 5 E. Xuereb, 7 N. Sultana, 8 A. Borg, JP Azzopardi, 15 C. Maier, 14 C. Kodomaris

Luxol 3 CJ Cordina, 2 M. Mercieca, 38 J. Belin, A. Micallef Trigona, 13 L. Ross, 2 A. Costa, 2 N. Vasovic, T. Paris, 7 A. Cremona, E. Caruana Montaldo, JP Bonnici, S. Cappello

Referees B. Vassallo, A. Carbonaro, C. Terribile