Siggiewi 56

A to Z Electronics Athleta 66

(7-16, 11-12, 18-24, 20-14)

Athleta garnered their third seasonal honour, and their fourth victory over Siggiewi on the trot. A solid start gave Athleta the push they needed to dictate the course of the match. Siggiewi tried hard, and although they edged nearer at times, they could not make a significant inroad into their deficit. Athelta always had ways and means to hit their opponents, and keep a healthy distance between the two sides, which guaranteed a comfortable win, and a safe passage to the end of the match.

Siggiewi had Marco Matijevic just a spectator once again. Jide Jetson was included for this final. Athleta still had Steve Schembri missing, but Ivan Buldakov was in the team list.

It was Athleta, with their steady game, who opened up a 7-0 advantage, with Dirk Schembri starting points. Siggiewi managed an opening hoop, but Athleta were right back, and put in another 9-0 run, ending with Michael Naudi points, and a triple. Siggiewi then stemmed the tide against them, with Nigel Sultana points, and also with a triple, to pull back some of their deficit.

In the second quarter the play began to even out. It was Athleta who first began to open up their lead, but Clement Kodomaris started to put in his shots for Siggiewi, in their intention to get within striking distance. They also managed an Alan Borg triple, but Athleta had enough up their sleeves, to keep their opponents at bay, and at the interval they were still 28-18 in front.

After the break Siggiewi began with a Sultana triple, but then they had to suffer three long ones from Athleta, two from Omar Said, and another by Mohammed Kuwaid. Peter Shoults alos netted a triple for Siggiewi, only for Said to capture his third trey. The game then went on an even keel, but Athleta were always in control, and their advnatgae never wavered. After three sessions they were 52-36 ahead. Siggiewi’s opening points in the final period, had an answer from another Kuwaid triple. Athleta’s strong play brought aboput a 10-1 run, midway through the session, to put them completely beyond Siggiewi’s reach. The latter then grimly made up a game ending 11-0 run, with a Kodomaris triple, hiking up their score to a respectable one, but still short of troubling Athleta, on their way to victory.

After the game the MBA president, Paul Sultana, presented the Athleta captain, Michael Naudi, with his side’s third consecutive honour, and posing the question of who will lower their flag this season.

Siggiewi R. Agius, L. Camilleri, 9 P. Shoults, E. Xuereb, 17 N. Sultana, 3 A. Borg, JP Azzopardi, 10 C. Maier, 17 C. Kodomaris, J. Jetson

Athleta 15 M. Naudi, 2 D. Bugeja, 14 M. Kuwaid, 15 D. Schembri, M. Giusti, 5 A. Fekete, 11 O. Said, I. Buldakov, 4 A. Bonnici, K. Baldacchino

Referees B. Vassallo, G. Barbara, A. Carbonaro