Luxol share top spot after beating Gzira Athleta

Gzira Athleta 69 Bupa Luxol 76 (17-24, 13-10, 15-20, 24-22)

Athleta saw their unbeaten league run drop away after four matches with Luxol making amends for the league defeat by the same Athleta in the previous round of play.

Athleta were already preoccupied with the loss of skipper Michael Naudi and Francesco Mifsud Bonnici both nursing injuries. Ivan Mitrovic was roped in after missing two matches. He was tried out for a few seconds of play but he was still not match fit and went back to the bench.

Luxol sensed the opportune moment and spread their play on four fronts which paid dividends. They now have four wins in six matches and are only behind Hibs because of a direct encounter.

The Violets went into a 9-2 start as American Kyle Meyer sank a trey. At the other end it was left to Athleta’s American Jon Feiler to obtain the points. all of them in the opening session including a triple.

Luxol had Meyer netting two more treys with Swedish William Ahlberg providing another one as their side opened up a first session advantage.

Luxol were still going well in the second period fractionally increasing their lead until Athleta came up with a 9-0 run and Omar said points with a triple which tied the score. Till the interval Luxol managed to net a brace of hoops to take a 34-30 halftime advantage.

After the break, Luxol stunned their opponents opening up in a rush and making up a solid 17-2 run as Ahlberg sank another triple. Here Meyer went on the bench being on three fouls but Athleta made the most of his absence as Feiler put in a personal 9-0 run.

Ahlberg stopped them with his third trey but Nathan Xuereb also netted an Athleta triple as the Violets went into the last quarter on a 54-45 lead.

Said and Xuereb put in triples to pull Athleta nearer but a 7-2 run had Luxol opening up their advantage again. It was then Athleta with an 8-2 run going quite close and kindling more hope but it was all in vain.

The champions stood firm and JP Schembri made all four of his free shots when Athleta tried to stop the clock with Luxol keeping their adversaries at arms’ length.

Athleta: B. Zammit 2, P. Shoults 10, L. Stefanovic, O. Said 10, S. Saakian, N. Xuereb 6, S. Vincic, I. Mitrovic, J. Feiler 41

Luxol: CJ Cordina 4, M. Sjoberg, J. Melillo, N. Vasovic 23, JP Schembri 6, K. Dimech 12, W. Ahlberg 17, K. Meyer 14, A. Micallef Trigona

Referees: Z. Dobrosavljevic, T. Mantere, K. Dworniczak