Bupa Luxol 57

Tata Motors Loyola 79

(13-19, 13-19, 8-18, 23-23)

Luxol succumbed to Loyola’s aggressiveness as the latter recorded their second win in three games over their adversaries.

Loyola took the lead from the start and never relinquished it. Actually they increased their advantage from session to session not allowing their opponents to stage any sort of rally.

Besides their triples Loyola had their American Rashanti Harris in dominant form in the paint easily finishing up as the game’s top scorer.

Luxol included Dyson Falzon who was on the island. Loyola had Joshua Anastasi still unavailable.

Loyola began with a flourish, grabbing the first six points with a David Camilleri triple. Jean Paul Bonnici netted a trey for the Violets in a 7-2 run but they couldn’t take an advantage and it was Loyola once more with a 7-0 run and a Jean Azzopardi triple. Both sides made some more points till the end of the period with Loyola retaining their lead.

In the second session Loyola opened up brightly once more this time with a better 11-2 run and a second Azzopardi trey.

Luxol began to co-ordinate their play and cut down on their arrears with the two sides making more triples CJ Cordina for the Violets and Camilleri and Stefan Vella for Loyola. At the interval Loyola held a 38-26 advantage.

After the break it was Loyola once again with the better start. This time it was a 9-2 run mostly from Harris also with a slam dunk. Midway through the period Luxol put in a handful of points but Loyola’s reaction brought about a three basket spread. At the end of the period Loyola were fully 56-34 in front.

The final session had Shawn Pace with his points for Loyola and a triple. Luxol’s response had Bonnici netting his points with a trey but Harris kept Loyola’s lead intact.

The latter still kept the upper hand but young Stefan Capello came off the bench for the violets to rattle in five baskets. Billy Zammit completed Loyola’s triples for the match with the winners on a handsome lead.

Luxol: 2 CJ Cordina, 4 M. Mercieca, D. Falzon, 4 A. Micallef Trigona, 10 L. Ross, A. Costa, 4 N. Vasovic, 4 T. Paris,  M. Attard Montalto,  E. Caruana Montaldo, 14 JP Bonnici, 10 S. Cappello

Loyola: 8 S. Pace, 5 B. Zammit, 9 D. Camilleri,  M. Cilia, 2 S. Borg, L. Azzopardi, 5 S. Vella, 6 A. Axiaq, 13 J Azzopardi,  J. Ransley, 31 R. Harris 

Referees: E. Mangani, S. Gouder, C. Terribile