Floriana F. Fenech 46

A to Z Elec. Athleta 83

(17-13, 13-21, 12-22, 4-27)

Athleta overcame the Floriana obstacle when they outpaced and outsmarted their opponents. The champions kept a tight leash on the Greens’ dangerman Evan Fjeld who was restricted to only a few hoops.

Floriana provided strong opposition until after the interval but then they couldn’t last to Athleta’s pressure and the champions ran away with the match to open up more space at the top of the standings.

Floriana had the same formation as in their last matches. Athleta were a depleted side with a seven man team as the Schembri brothers Steve and Dirk and Ivan Buldakov were missing.

After the early skirmishes with points at both ends, it was the Floriana side with an 8-0 run and triples from Chris and Steve Sammut. Athleta were back with Michael Naudi hoops to a point behind. The Greens rallied once more with a 7-0 run and an Ian Mercieca trey.

Athleta put in a couple of hoops before the end of the period to close down the gap between the two sides.

In the second session although Floriana made early hoops there was Omar said with an Athleta triple as they drew closer again. The Greens replied with an Adrian Baldacchino triple but their new lead was erased as the champions made up a good 13-0 run with Said and Addison Bonnici points to forge ahead. Floriana’s last baskets were not enough and Athleta went in at the interval on a 34-30 advantage.

After the break, Floriana were back and a 9-2 run with Chris Sammut points and also a triple had them on a new lead. That was as far as they went for some time as the champions took over and a solid 14-0 run had them piercing the Green defence.

Chris Sammut sank another Floriana triple but David Bugeja did likewise for Athleta who were on a 56-42 advantage.

In the last period, Athleta’s supremacy continued as they put in a further 15-0 run woth more triples from Bugeja and said.

Floriana were well and truly out of the reckoning as they had to suffer another 0-12 run with Bugeja sinking a third trey with Athleta showing no difficult signs of a smaller bench.

Floriana: J. Curmi, 19 C. Sammut, 3 I. Mercieca, 11 S. Sammut. 2 C. Calleja, 3 A. Baldacchino, 8 E. Fjeld,   A. Sultana,  M. Ciantar

Athleta: 19 M. Naudi, 13  D. Bugeja, 15 M. Todorovic, M. Giusti, 22 O. Said, 10  A. Bonnici, 11 K. Baldacchino

Referees: A. Carbonaro, S. Gouder, C. Terribile