Athleta in a useful first match advantage

Gzira Athleta 42 Starlites Naxxar 34 (13-8, 7-2, 8-10, 14-14)

Athleta will start the second final with an eight point advantage, after their opening final, against Starlites.

Both these two sides were featuring in their very first final, of the Louis Borg Cup, as, till last season, it was only Hibs, Luxol and Depiro who managed to win this honour, and also were on the losing side.

It was the young Starlites lasses who mostly felt the tension of a first final, and they took quite some time to really get going.

They played better after the interval, but by then Athleta were on a good advantage, and withstood Starlites' last efforts to cut down on their deficit.

The experienced duo, Amelia Simmons and Christina Grima, were Athleta's mainstays in this game, with Patricia Arguello and Josephine Grima trying to rally their team mates, on the Starlites' end.

Athleta had Elena Pace missing, with Starlites playing without Adriana Lupo, and once more, Danielle Agious.

Athleta took a double hoop lead, at the start, with Starlites taking time to answer back on four occasions, but Grima netted a late triple, for a better Athleta advantage.

In the second period the points were at a premium, as Starlites were severely limited, to just a single hoop, and Athleta making two early baskets, but then had to wait till late in the session, for Antoinette Borg to sink a triple, giving her side a 20-10 advantage, in a low scoring match, at the interval.

After the break the game began to pick up, Arguello points, with a triple, took Starlites a little nearer, but Simmons' hoops helped her side to hold on to their lead, as Athleta went into the last quarter on a 28-20 lead.

Starlites made a good effort, as they crept to within five points of their opponents, but Athleta made up a 7-2 run, with a number of Simmons free throws, for another double figure advantage.

Starlites' next points had them nearer again, but more Simmons free shots had Athleta on a useful advantage, which they will take into their second final, come next Sunday.

Athleta: M. Stefanovic, C. Grima, B. Zammit, S. Pisani, L. Sciberras, A. Simmons, D. Said Hollier, A. Borg, J. Schembri, S. Vella, C. Mifsud

Starlites: D. Agius, K. Galea, J. Doughty, S. Farrugia, J. Milekic, K. Pirotta, J. Micallef, J. Grima, P. Arguello, E. Magrin, S. Davis, A. Lupo

Referees: B. Vassallo, C. Farrugia, B. Sly