Basketball

BOV  K.O. – Men 1 Div. – Semi Final

AtoZ Electronics Athleta     90     Starlites     56

(25-14, 27-15, 22-8, 16-19)

For Athleta it was their third seasonal victory over Starlites, all of them handsome wins. They sahred the game with their adversaries for the first few minutes, then they brok loose, and Starlites were left to catch up as they could, facing formidable odds. The Athleta machine wears down its opponents, with its incessant pressure, and this game was like all the rest. Starlites included Jonathan Zammit, missing from the game for some time.

Starlites had a valid answer to Athleta’s first two hoops, and also went 6-4 ahead. Then Athleta put in a 15-2 run, with a David Bugeja triple, and Michael Naudi points. Starlites replied well till the end of the session, also with a Marco Todorovic trey, and Robert Bonnici points, but Athleta were in front on a good advantage.In the next period Bugeja went on with his triples for Athleta, netting two more, along with another from Omar said, with Saviour Bonnici managing a trey for Starlites. Bugeja and Said continued for Athleta, with Chad Patus for company, and despite more Todorovic points, Starlites had fallen 29-52 behind at the interval.

After the break Starlites were feeling the burden, and athlete began with an 8-0 run. After another Todorovic hoop for Starlites, Athleta made up a further 9-2 run, with another Said trey, and more Patus points. Till the end of the session, it was Bugeja once more, with a further triple, and Athleta began the last quarter on a solid 74-37 double score. The game here was more balanced, with Athleta easing up a little. Robert Loporto sank two late triples for Starlites, but Athleta were alreasy thinking about their next match by that time.

Athleta: M. Naudi 10, D. Bugeja 23, C. Patus 19, W. Spiteri 2, O. Said 19,

              S. Pace 2, C. Galea 2,  S. Bischoff 5, D. Ross , S. Schembri 8

Starlites: M. Todorovic 20, R. Loporto 10, R. Bonnici 10, A. Schembri , S. Bonnici 6,        

               A. Cutajar , M. Vassallo , B. Soler 2, J. Zammit , G. Coleiro 8, J. Curmi

Referees: G. Barbara, E. Mangani, C, Terribile

Depiro, less foreigner, still too good for Floriana

Pavi Depiro    77     Floriana Royce     69

(25-14, 20-20, 14-17, 18-18)

This was a turn up for the Greens. They began the game in a confident mood, seeing their opponents facing them without a foreigner. Depiro had released their American, Turrell Morris, and brought over an Australian, Matthew Adekponya, but his release papers had not yet arrived, and he was only a spectator for this match. This did not seem to deter Depiro, who broke away from their adversaries, to establish a good advantage, which they held on to till late in the game, denying their opponents a bite at overturning the score. Depiro also included Michael agius in their side, with Floriana able to play Billy Zammit, after his recent transfer.

The Greens started off with Clayton calleja points, in a 7-4 score, but then Depiro took over, and managed to make up a 10-2 run, with a Roderick Vella triple. Andrew Aquilina, also with a trey, and Sam Bartolo increased their advantagewith Floriana unable to get any nearer. In the second session Depiro were still administering the play, holding on to their lead. When Floriana were busy trying to make up the leeway, depiro struck back, with two Aquilina treys and another by Bartolo, and although Derek Elston also netted a triple for the Greens, Depiro had slipped firther away. Floriana ended the period with a 7-0 runand a David agius trey, but were still 34-45 behind at the interval.

After the break Floriana began to creep back, but were halted with another Aquilina triple. Elston also sank a second triple for the Greens, and with Dirk schembri points they moved fractionally nearer, with Depiro still enjoying a 59-51 advantage, with a session still to go. Floriana were jolted, as Depiro put in an 8-2 run, throwing the Greens further behind. It was then Floriana’s turn, with an 8-0 run  of their own, and later on Peter Shoults netted a triple, as the Greens raised some hopes. Late in the match depiro played possession, and Vella ably held the ball, and netted his free throws, after being fouled. Floriana saw their slim chances fade away, and Depiro went into the final, to face athlete.

Depiro: R. Vella 16, N. Sultana 4, A. Aquilina 19, A. Portelli 8, S. Bartolo 15,

              A. Axiaq 9, E. Lupo 2,  I. Tanti 4. M. Agius

Floriana: O. Shamala , D. Elston 26, D. Camilleri 4, P. Shoults 10, S. Borg ,

          B. Zammit , C. Calleja 9,  D. Schembri 15, S. Saakian ,  D. Agius 5

Referees:  E. Mangani, C. Terribile, T. Helenius