Starlites GIG       67

Bupa Luxol  71

(14-13, 10-15, 15-21, 28-22)

Luxol are in the final which they graced eight seasons ago and which they last won the year before that. They made it after losing out to Hibernians but they beat Starlites for the second time in this competition.

They very nearly lost out after frittering a solid fifteen point advantage midway through the last quarter but two late Nikola Vasovic free shots settled the issue.

Starlites' only missing player was Mirco Azzopardi but Luxol were left with a withered bench. CJ Cordina and Dirk Schembri seem unable to don the Luxol jersey and Nigel Sultana was missing after playing for them for the first time.

Luxol began well enough netting the opening six points and Keith Dimech sinking a trey. Starlites replied with a brace of hoops but the Violets made up a 7-2 run with a JP Schembri triple.

Starlites turned the tables with a late 8-0 run as Mitchell Brewe who scored a huge stack of points nailed a trey as his side forged in front.

Another couple of hoops had Starlites extending their lead in the next session. Luxol took the game by the scruff of the neck and proceeded to pour in a heavy 15-2 run as William Ahlberg with the ball seemingly stuck to his hands and Schembri once more netted more triples. Brewe made the period's last points as Starlites crept back to a 24-28 score at the interval.

After the break, Luxol swept to a four hoop spread leaving Starlites behind. Robert Bonnici pulled his side to a reduced deficit but Luxol were in control as Kyle Meyer was making his hoops. A late Bonnici trey had Starlites nearer but they were still 39-49 behind.

In the last period, Ryan Carabott also netted  a Starlites trey pulling them nearer but luxol struck back putting in a 9-0 run as Stefan Cappello came off the bench for them and Dimech sinking a second trey.

Luxol went into a maximum advantage but Starlites clicked into gear and Brewe was making havoc in the Luxol paint. Shawn Pace Brewe and Alec Felice Pace nailed triples in a solid 15-2 run and they suddenly were only a hoop away.

Luxol recovered with further Cappello points but Brewe's next points and a third trey again had Starlites a hoop in arrears.

In the last seconds, Vasovic coolly converted his free throws and Luxol were safe to meet Hibs in next Sunday's final and for the third time this season having taken the Super Cup off them but losing out in a previous Shield match.

Starlites: S. Pace 3, R. Bonnici 13, A. Schembri, S. Borg,M. Falzon, A. Felice Pace 5, R. Carabott 3, O. Psaila, N. Andrejevic 2, J. Wait, M. Brewe 41

Luxol:  M. Sjoberg,  N. Vasovic 7,  JP Schembri 10, K. Dimech 15, W. Ahlberg 15, A. Micallef Trigona ,  K. Meyer 15,  S. Cappello 9

Referees:  G. Barbara, Z. Dobrosavljevic, T. Mantere