BOV K.O. – Men 1 Div. – Final

 

AtoZ Electronics Athleta     68    Pavi Depiro     59 

(16-7, 17-19, 16-18, 19-15)

 

It’s now four out of four for Athleta, and they are very much involved in the remaining two honours of the season. It was their tenth success in the K.O., and their fifth victory, from five matches, against Depiro. Athleta were in control, but a blistering start, after the interval, took depiro to their only advantage in the game. Athleta soon remedied matters, and that was that, as they swept forward once more, to establish a winning margin, which took them to the end of the match. Athleta had Kristin baldacchino back for this final. Depiro recovered Abraham Portelli, who was abroad in their last encounter, and Michael Agius was also roped in.

Omar Said started Athleta off, with his opening points, and also a triple, with Athleta going on to a 9-2 advantage. Depiro tried a sthey might, to seduce their arrears, but Athleta kept a tight hold on the proceedings, and a Steve Schembri trey had them on a good lead. In teh next period Depiro managed to cut down on their deficit, but Schembri then netted another triple for Athleta, who had Michael naudi and Chad Patus with more hoops. Depiro were respondind better, and a Roderick vella trey, along with Matthew Adekponya and Anton Axiaq points, took them fractionally nearer, to a 26-33 score, at the interval.

After the break Depiro went storming out, and Athleat were stunned by their adversaries’ 10-0 run, which took Depiro into a three point lead. Athleta reacted in haste, and a 9-0 run of their own, mainly from Patus, restored their original advantage. Depiro then were back in the match, but Athleta matched them in points, as Said netted a third trey. With a last quarter to go athlete were holding on to a 49-44 advantage. Depiro managed to reply to Naudi’s two hoops at first, but then Athleta broke forward again, with a 9-0 run, and another Schembri triple, and Depiro were left with a steep hill to climb. Sam Bartolo managed to net more points for Depiro, including a trey, but Athleta were in command, putting in their remaining bench players. Nigel Sultana put in a brace of hoops for depiro, but the time had run oput on them, and Athleta could hold on to the honour won last season.

After the match the BOV Chief Officer, Peter Perotti, who earlier on had taken part in the Malta Marathon, presented the winning trophy to the Athleta captain, Michael Naudi, a very common thing for him these last seasons.

Athleta: M. Naudi 18, D. Bugeja 4, C. Patus 18, C. Galea , W. Spiteri , O. Said 10,

             S. Pace 2,  S. Bischoff ,  S. Schembri 14

Depiro: R. Vella 14, M. Adekponya  13, N. Sultana 8, A. Aquilina , A. Portelli 6,

            S. Bartolo 6, A. Axiaq 10, E. Lupo ,  I. Tanti 2, M. Agius

Referees: B. Vassallo, E. Mangani, C. Terribile