Athleta too good for Siggiewi
Siggiewi 59 Gzira Athleta 92 (16-26, 19-14, 11-35, 13-17)
It was an Athleta league double over Siggiewi, who tasted defeat, after their two-win run. Athleta are chasing the league leaders, Balkan, as they battle it out with Depiro.
Siggiewi were without three of their foreigners, with Serbians, Milan Nedic and Alex Novakovic, both injured, and the Greek, Konstantinoa Avratinakis, is out of the equation.
Athleta were without Joshua Aquilina, but Miguel Gauci Montaldo and Mark Cilia were back.
It was Siggiewi netting two early hoops, but Athleta reacted, with an 11-0 run, and a Stefan Vincic trey.
Siggiewi went nearer, but Athleta opened up their advantage, even though Roberto Alosco sank a triple, for Siggiewi.
He and Hubert Agius grabbed most of Siggiewi's points, with the Spaniard, Albert Serra and Luca Stefanovic answering for Athleta. In the next quarter Siggiewi had JP Antoncic with a triple, and Alosco netted his second, for Siggiewi.
Seera made more points, but Siggiewi's Jhunjhun Lisandour put in a trey, along with more Agius points.
Serra continued to make Athleta baskets, but Lisandour netted another trey, and Siggiewi went nearer, to a 35-40 score, at the interval.
After the break Athleta were more dominant, starting with a 100 run. Siggiewi replied with a brace of hoops, but Athleta had Serra and Stefanovic with an 8-2 run.
Adrian Baldacchino managed a triple for Siggiewi, who then lost two players, Antoncic for dissent, and Alosco, for two intentional fouls.
Meantime Athleta drew further away, with a heavy 17-2 run, as Vincic sank two late triples, for a solid 75-46 advantage.
The last session saw Francesco Mifsud Bonnici also net a trey, for Athleta, with Siggiewi more livelier towards the end of the match, when Vincic sank his fourth triple, for Athleta.
Siggiewi: JP Antoncic 3, J. Lisondaur 9, H. Agius 26, M. Baldacchino 2, R. Alosco 88,Camilleri 2, A. Baldacchino 3,O. Shamala 6
Athleta: F. Mifsud Bonnici 19, C. Puccia, 2, A. Serra 27, L. Stefanovic 15, M. Gauci Montaldo, N. Xuereb 4, B. Bartolo 1, S. Vincic 18, J. Ransley 6, M. Cilia
Referees: Z. Dobrosavljevic, C. Xuereb