Decisive step by Athleta to win fourth honour
drawing away with every passing minute.
Athleta had a massive duo, to prise open the Floriana defence, as skipper, Michael Naudi, with a season high of points, and Josiah Whitehead, tormented the opposing defence.
The match began with Floriana taking a single hoop advantage four times, with Athleta answering back on every occasion.
Athleta then embarked on a 102 run, and Floriana woes began. they did have Shawn pace netting a late triple, but more Naudi points took Athleta to a better lead.
In the second session Roderick Vella sank an Athleta trey, and though Floriana had their best contribution of the match, with a 7-2 run, and two more Pace triples, Athleta replied well, with Naudi putting in a brace of treys, till the interval, as Athleta went on to acquire a 37-26 advantage.
After the break Athleta started off, to widen their advantage. Floriana managed a couple of hoops, with Athleta making up an 11-2 run beginning with a David Camilleri trey, and more Naudi and Whitehead points.
By the end of the third period Athleta already had a very comfortable advantage, though they still came a cropper, in their last match, against Luxol, with that same lead.
This time, though, with points raining in at both ends, Athleta could stretch their advantage a little further.
Floriana had Nikola Vasovic netting a brace of triples, with another from Pace, and Chad Patus finally managed to obtain some much needed points. Athleta had Billy Zammit nailing a trey in the last seconds of the match, which had been well within their grasp, for quite some time.
They start as strong favourites, to win this honour, after a two year wait, next Sunday, when they will play in the second final.
C. Patus 15, D. Krivokuca, S. Pace 13, S. Borg 3, N. Vasovic 18, C. Calleja, A. Axiaq 14, A. Micallef Trigona 2, N. Andrejevic 4
M. Naudi 36, R. Vella 6, D. Camilleri 3, P. Shoults 12, F. Mifsud Bonnici, B. Zammit 6, S. Vincic, M. Gauci Montaldo, J. Whitehead 25
B. Vassallo, C. Farrugia, I. Marjanovic