Siggiewi consolidate second position
Starlites Naxxar 57 Siggiewi St. Nicholas 78 (13-20, 12-23,16-20, 16-15)
Siggiewi have now made it three league wins in a row, against Starlites. The St. Nicholas side have consolidated their second spot in the standings, behind leaders, Athleta.
They established an early advantage, and they went on till the start of the last quarter, increasing their lead, until Starlites reacted with their triples, which only brought about a more respectable score.
Starlites had Owen Psaila missing, as they gave a debut to young Ian Felice Pace. Siggiewi were minus three players, two of their foreigners, Svens Niedritis and Slavko Opejevlic, and Reno Camilleri, and they recovered JP Antoncic.
Siggiewi began with an early 7-2 run, mostly from Keith Scicluna. Starlites went nearer to a hoop behind, but Siggiewi again made up a 7-2 run, opening up their lead once more.
In the next period, it was free throws for Siggiewi early on. Starlites had Nikola Stankovic to provide their points, but Scicluna and Roberto Alosco were putting more distance for Siggiewi up front, as their lead widened, and till the interval they had established a better advantage, on a 43-25 score.
After the break, Starlites made a sort of impact, with a 7-2 run of their own, led by Alex Xuereb. Siggiewi’s answer was a better 10-2 run, as Alosco netted a triple for them.
He came up with more points, and Kostas Arvanitakis made his presence felt in the opposing paint, as Siggieiw’s lead escalated to a 63-41 score.
In the last session, Jonathan Camilleri made his mark for Siggiewi, but then Starlites were making their triples. Mirco Azzopardi and Alex Cutajar put in theirs, and Felice Pace obliged with two more till the final buzzer, with Gabriel Agius making his hoops at the other end, for Siggiewi.
Starlites: A. Barthet, M. Azzopardi 9, L. Vella 2, A. Xuereb 6, M. Vella, M. Falzon 11, I. Felice Pace 6, N. Stankovic, A. Vella Cradona, A. Cutajar 7, M. Farrugia 2.
Siggiewi: L. Grech 4, JP Antoncic 6, K., Scicluna 12, H. Agius 9, G. Agius 14, R, Alosco 17, R. Camilleri, J. Camilleri 11, K. Arvanitekis 5. Referees: Z. Dobrosavljevic, I.
Marjanovic