Honey Athleta     52

Alyssa Ashley Loyola     64

(16-23, 15-10, 5-16, 16-15)

Loyola overcame a difficult Athleta hurdle as they had to do in the first round match.

Although their first real advantage was erased by Athleta in the second period, Loyola took little time to build up another lead and this time all of Athleta’s attempts to make a game of it were to no avail as Desarae Johnson saw to it with her large tally of points.

Athleta were missing Giulia Muscat and Raissa Sciberras. Loyola also had two absentees Justine Mangion and Sandra Schembri Wismayer.

There was a balanced start to the match with the sides sharing four hoops until Aleksandra Ratomska netted an Athleta triple.

Loyola’s reply was an 8-0 run but Athleta had Leanne Sciberras with another triple. Loyola reacted with a 9-3 run and more Johnson hoops while Athleta’s points were from a Sciberras second trey.

Athleta responded well in the next quarter with a 9-2 run and a further Sciberras triple which took the game into a tie.

Loyola took up the reins once more to make up an 8-0 run of their own with Johnson and Christina Grima points. Athleta reduced their deficit till the interval with Lonneke Calleja hoops but Loyola were just ahead at 33-31.

After the break, Athleta’s points total didn’t vary much. After a lone free throw they had to wait till very late in the period to add up more free shots

In the meantime Loyola had built up an 11-0 run to skip away from their opponents. Finally Athleta managed some more points although in between Johnson put in more personal points.

At the start of the last period, Loyola enjoyed a 49-36 advantage. Loyola kept their adversaries at arms’ length until Kelly Busuttil sank an Athleta triple.

Johnson was still making her points as Loyola kept a hold on the game.

Athleta’s last efforts did not manage to bring them nearer despite a second Busuttil trey and Loyola could cruise through to their victory which took them in sole top position but with a game more than Luxol and Depiro.

Athleta: 2 M. De Martino, 15 A. Ratomska,  C. Ciantar, 4 L. Calleja, 15 L. Sciberras, M. Azzopardi Duca,  6 F. Farrugia, 10  K. Busuttil,  C. Mifsud

Loyola: 8  E. Moore, 14 C. Grima,  J. Doughty, 4  D. Hollier,  K. Tonna, A. Bonanno, 3  A. Sciberras, 3  SJ Barbara, 32 D. Johnson

Referees: G. Barbara, R. Darmanin

Standings

Alyssa Ashley Loyola have 13 points from seven matches. They are followed by Luxol, McDonalds Depiro and Hibs Melita Gardens on 11 each, but the former two have a match in hand. Athleta are next on nine points while Starlites Sports Experience and Phoenix Qormi Mendoza occupy the bottom two places on seven points each.