Athleta climb higher up the league table
Gzira Athleta 70 Floriana MCP Car Parks 59 (23-11, 10-27, 17-8, 20-13)
Just days after beating the Greens for the umpteenth time, and getting another honour in the bargain, Athleta were once more on the winning side against Floriana.
They had to withstand some determined opposition in the middle part of the encounter, but Athleta again began to assert their superiority, and finished up in the third spot, in the standings. Floriana still can't get the hang of beating their opponents, having only won once, in nine matches, and they will looking over their shoulders in the coming games, to ascertain a place in the Play Offs.
Athleta started in earnest, and quickly made up a solid 19-2 advantage, beginning with a David Camilleri trey, and Peter Shoults adding another. Floriana settled down, to gnaw away at their deficit.
In the next period the Greens crept nearer, with a 10-2 run and they finally made up the leeway, as Anton Axiaq and Nikola Vasovic obtained their points.
After again falling behind, Floriana made the better ending to the session, with a 9-0 run, which had them ahead, on a 38-33 score, at the interval.
After the break Athleta found their form once more. They twice went to within a point, before they made a late spurt, and a 9-2 run took them to a 50-46 advantage.
In the last period Athleta settled the matter, as they began with a 12-2 run, and a Roderick Vella triple, leaving the Greens well behind. There was no way back for Floriana, who had Nikola Andrejevic going on court, and netting a trey, but Josiah Whitehead, the match top scorer, added more points to Athleta's tally, also with a triple, and his side were home and dry, with their last free throws.