Louis Borg Cup  – Men – Final 2

Bupa Luxol     89     AtoZ Electronics Athleta     72

Agg: 167 - 163

(27-22, 9-17, 26-8, 27-25)

Luxol managed to win their first honour of the season, and also denied their opponents their intention of making a clean sweep of the season’s honours, something which only Luxol have done in the male annals of the game. Athleta were rsting on a steady advantage from the first final, and midway through this second encounter, they had also added more points to Luxol’s already heavy deficit. Notwithstanding this, the Violets came roaring back after the interval, to wipe their slate clean before the start of the last quarter. They also managed to increase their aggregate advantage, and all of Athleta’s efforts in the last stages of the match came to naught, as the Luxol lads held out, to inscribe their side’s name for the third time, after last winning this honour five seasons ago. Luxol didn’t last the pace in the first final, but they certainly did in this second one, with the Athleta players unable to display their usual confident play.

Athleta made the better start, going on to an 8-2 lead, with Chad Patus points, and also a triple. Luxol struck back with a 9-0 run, beginning with a JP Schembri treyAthleta were back to just a point behind, but Samuel Deguara points took the Violets to a better advantage. Athleta only managed to rub off a couple of points from their deficit till the end of the period. In the next session Athleta began to take command, with a 9-2 run, and a Patus triple. They then managed to hold on to this slim advantage for some time, until Michael myers Keitt tied the score for Luxol, only for Athleta to go in at the interval resting on another small lead, at 39-36, to enhance their already better aggregate score.

After the break things took a different turn, as the Violets came out with teeth bared, and Athleta were left reeling after a solid 17-2 run by Luxol, ending with another JP Schembri triple, and points shared between four players. Athleta knew they were in trouble, but they couldn’t react properly, with Schembri nailing a third triple, as Luxol swept past their aggregate deficit, to take a lead of their own, with a 62-47 score. This advantage kept on increasing in the last session, with a further 9-2 run, mainly from the towering Deguara. Athleta began to hit back at last, with triples from Patus and Shawn Pace, but they were still trailing. Luxol didn’t lose their hold on the match, but with Athelta still close on added points, with a further Patus trey. Then it was Nikola Vasovic to net a lUxol triple, but Patus answered back with his fifth triple. Late in teh game Athleta tried to stop the shot clock, with the Violets edging further in front with their free throws. Omar Said put in an Athleta trey, but Luxol could hold out till the end, despite another Athleta hoop in the closing seconds.

After the match the MBA President Emeritus, Louis Borg, presented both sides with commemorative medals, and the Luxol captain, Marco Mercieca, received the winning trophy for Luxol, ending Athleta’s four honour run this season.

Luxol: CJ Cordina , M. Mercieca 11, A. Micallef 4, N. Andreevic , J. Willoughby ,

           JP Schembri 12, N. Vasovic 12, JP Bonnici , M. Myers Keitt 15,

           A. Micallef Trigona , S. Deguara 35, S. Cappello    

Athleta: M. Naudi 7, D. Bugeja 2, C. Patus 38, C. Galea , O. Said 13, S. Pace 7,

              D. Ross , K. Baldacchino , S. Bischoff ,  S. Schembri 5

Referees: B. Vassallo, G. Barbara, C. Terribile