Mellieha Libertas    102    Fusion B'ball    82

(25-23, 21-23, 24-23, 32-13)

The two sides started their league campaign with wins, as Mellieha grabbed three, and Fusion their first one. There was nothing to choose between the two teams till soon after the start of the last session of play, but then the Fusion lads just faded away, allowing their eager opponents to forge ahead to their hearts' content, and open up a winning advantage, which went beyond the century mark. The match belonged to Mellieha's Serbian player, Nenad Stojanovski, up against his compatriots, as he ran up a significant points tally. The Northerners kept up their march, since the start of the season, as they racked up another victory, leading the standings with their fourth win in a row. For this match, they were without Emanuel Lupo.

Mellieha had Stojanovski beginning well enough, with his points, but Fusion quickly overtook them, as Janko Jovancevic sank a triple. Mellieha regained their lead, and Robert Loporto and Serbian, Alex Perunicic, treys opened up their advantage, with Fusion reacting well, and a Nikola Bozovic trey had them ahead, only for Mellieha to end the period just in front. In the second session, Mellieha tried to put distance between the two sides, but Fusion's triples kept them in touch, as Nikola Matic put in a brace, with the other coming from Jovancevic. A 10-1 Fusion run turned the score in their favour, with Mellieha having Stojanovski with a trey, and the Philippine, Cyril Lastimosa, tied the score before the interval, for a 46-46 score.

After the break, there was a flurry of triples, at either end, eight in all. Philippine, Jhun Lisandro, bagged two, and Stojanovski the other one, for Mellieha. Fusion had Nemanja Mihailovic with three and Nikola Mitic netting the remaining two. Fusion were again in front, but a 9-0 Mellieha run had them on another advantage. Two Fusion buckets overturned the score once more, with Stojanovski giving Mellieha another lead, on a 70-69 score, just before the end of the third session. The same player put in more points, in the last period, also another two treys, but Fusion were still in touch with Bozovic points. From then on, Mellieha took the match in hand, making up a good 15-0 run, leaving Fusion struggling. The latter's hoops were few and far between, and Mellieha went on to reach the century. With Christian Briffa's two hoops, handing Fusion their first defeat in the league.

Mellieha: A. Schembri 7, R. Loporto 5, J. Lisandro 15, C. Lastimosa 2, A. Perunicic 17, C. Briffa 4, N. Stojanovski 36, K. Skrabec 6, R. Costa 10, M. Costa       

Fusion: S. Mitic 4, N. Mihailovic 15, N. Bozovic 14, E. Lanzi 5, D. Garcia, N. Komienic 9, N. Mitic 25, J. Jovancevic 6, I. Marjanovic 4

Referees: K. Dworniczak, M. Hraisha