St James Hospital MBA Shield

Phoenix Petrus Qormi     25

Luxol         73

(5-30, 12-14, 4-13, 6-16)

The game was over and done with as early as the opening session. Qormi were hit hard straight from the start and although they reacted in the next period they were already on a hefty deficit and things got worse after the break as the champions continued to put more distance between the two sides.

Luxol recovered Becky Naudi from their last match and Qormi lost Adriana Demanuele with a cut lip late in the second session.
The Violets stormed into a solid 22-2 run soon after the start of the game and increased their advantage till the end of the period.

Qormi began the second session with a Nicola Said triple and Alexis Cutajar also netted a trey for them later on but in the meantime Luxol had managed another 12-4 run to soar into a 44-17 advantage at the interval.
Qormi were still being pressed after the break as the Violets started with an 8-0 run and then kept tabs to make up a 57-21 score with a session to go.

Qormi were all over the place as Luxol continued with a further 16-2 run before Qormi could end the match with a brace of
hoops.
Greta Zarb netted a total of 20 points for the champions along with 12 points each from Paula Ellul and Mollie Williams. Cutajar scored 11 points for the losers.
Qormi:  M. Abela 5, V. Agius  2, MR Agius 2, D. Pace  2, N. Said  3, A. Cutajar 11, A. Abdilla , A. Demanuele 2
Luxol:  S. Pace 4, M. Sciortino2 , C. Medina 6 , B. Naudi 8, J.
Busuttil Gaerty 1, G. Zarb 20, P. Ellul 12, M. Williams 12, D. Muscat , M. Darmanin 2, K. Portelli 6
Referees: E. Mangani, J. Mangani

Loyola end group games with three wins
Honey Athleta 47

Alyssa Ashley Loyola        55

(9-12, 16-14, 7-19, 15-10)
Loyola had Christina Grima back from abroad in their ranks to hold off Athleta’s resistance in the latter’s quest to force basket
difference between three teams. Athleta were missing Francesca Farrugia due to injury.
Loyola eked out a small opening session advantage recovering from a basket deficit after Jean Doughty had sank a triple earlier on for them.

Athleta were chasing hard in the next period but a Loyola 8-2
run opened up a better lead.

Athleta reacted till the interval when they made up a 10-2 run to go within a mere point on a 25-26 score.
Loyola made the better start after the break when a good 12-2 run ending with a couple of Doughty triples gave them a double figure advantage.

Athleta replied with an Aleksandra Ratomska trey but it was Loyola again with a 7-0 run and a Denise Said Hollier triple to finish the session with a solid 45-32 lead.

Athleta were not downhearted and reacted well to post a 12-2 run with a second Ratomska triple to whittle down their deficit to three points.

Loyola came to the fore once more and made sure of the result with an 8-1 run leaving Athleta in third place in the group.
Sammy Jo Barbara put in 14 points and Doughty had 13 more for Loyola.
Ratomska’s tally was 26 points for Athleta and Sciberras finished up with 11 points.
Athleta:  M. De Martino 2, A. Ratomska 26, J. Xuereb  , L. Calleja, L. Sciberras 11,  M. Azzopardi Duca, C. Ciantar 2, E.
Vella 6, MC Cilia, J. Muscat, R. Sciberras, C. Mifsud
Loyola: P. Monatanaro , C. Grima 3, J. Doughty 13, M. Gatt 2, D.
Said Hollier 5, K. Tonna  10, A. Bonanno 4, J. Mangion 4, SJ Barbara 14, F. Camilleri
Referees: A. Carbonaro, B. Sly


Group 2
Easy for Hibs after early scare
Hibernians       57

Starlites Sports Experience      34

(14-13, 6-10, 15-19, 22-2)
The final score registers an easy victory for the Paolites, but for
the first three sessions there was a different side to the story.

Starlites surprised their more quoted opponents, but then collapsed in the final period, as Hibernains ran riot, to sweep away from their adversaries.
Starlites went into a small early lead, only for Hibs to make up a 9-1 run, and go in front. Nadia Mifsud had to cry off for the Paolites with an injured ankle.

Starlites rallied back, and a late Lindsey Pirotta triple brought them just a point behind their opponents.

In the second period, Starlites had Hibs in frustration, with a 10-0 run and an Ariana Grixti trey.

Slowly the Paolites began to recover, and by the interval they had crept nearer, to a 20-23 score.
After the break Hibs pressed, and a 7-2 run, with a Lucienne Bezzina triple, had them ahead. It was not over yet, as Starlites’ reaction had them regaining their advantage.

Hibs then went into another lead, on a 35-32 score, after three sessions of play.

The last period was a disaster for Starlites, as the Paolites ripped through them, with a 20-0 run, with their bench players also in the fray.

Starlites only managed a very late hoop, for their only points in the session.
Elena Cassar had 15 points, with Julia Scerri and Joselle Borg Cardona with 10 points each, for Hibs. For Starlites there was Marilou Cutajar with 11 points.
Hibernians:  J. Scerri, E. Cassar, M. Zammit, L. Bezzina, F. Mifsud, M. Desira, K. Gatt, A. Borg, N. Mifsud, E. Micallef,  J. Borg Cardona, L. Micallef
Starlites:  A. Farrugia, C. Riolo, A. Grixti, S. Tabone, L. Pisani, S. Cutajar, L. Pirotta, N. Attard, M. Scicluna, C. Scicluna, M. Cutajar
Referees: A. Carbonaro, C. Terribile