Athleta edge out Luxol

Gzira Athleta 86 Luxol 79 (10-18, 28-19, 29-17, 19-25)

Athleta had beaten their opponents twice, in the league campaign, although eartlier on in the season, they were ousted out of the Shield semifinal by the same Luxol. The game was quite a close one, with Luxol holding out till the interval. They then fell further behind, but came quite close again, in the last session, before Athleta made sure of the result, late in the match. Luxol paid particular attention to Athleta's Albert Serra, but young Nathan Xuereb came to the fore for Athleta, and Francesco Mifsud Bonnici followed suit. Luxol had the usual Vukassin Jandric, and Michael Sjoberg aided with his triples, as Luxol were staging their mini came back. Luxol again felt the absence of the injured Keith Dimech.

Luxol took the opening advantage, and stayed there for the duration of the session, as Sjoberg nailed his first brace of treys, and Jandric began putting in his hoops. Athleta had to play second fiddle, but this all changed in the second period. Luxol were still in front, with more Jandric points, and Athleta had Xuereb putting in his first treys, four in all. This helped Athleta to overturn the score, but Luxol came back, to within a point, with Sjoberg's next triple, late in the session, with Athleta just ahead, at 38-37, at the interval.

After the break Luxol's Jandric, with his points, and a trey, regained their lead, but it didn't last long, as Athleta forged forward. Xuereb made another trey, Mifsud Bonnici and Serra provided more points, but Jandric kept on for Luxol, sinking a second triple. Athleta made a good ending to the session, as Stefan Vincic sank a late trey, and they opened a healthy 67-54 advantage.

In the last period Luca Stefanovic made an Athleta triple, but Sjoberg still had triples for Luxol, netting twice. His side came to within a trey away from Athleta, but the latter side recovered enough, Mifsud Bonnici put in a triple, and made further late points. Sjoberg netted his last Luxol trey, but Athleta held out, and kept Luxol away enough, to ensure their victory. On Friday there will be the second match in the series.

F. Mifsud Bonnici 22, A. Serra 16, L. Stefanovic 10, M. Gauci Montaldo, N. Xuereb 26, J. Aquilina 4, J. Caruana , S. Vincic 6, J. Ransley 2, M. Cilia

M. Vazquez 11, L. Caruana Montaldo, V. Jandric 38, I. El Gabailly, B. Caruana Montaldo, J. Cefai, C. Calleja 4, M. Sjoberg 26, J. navarro, A. Micallef, M. Steenkamen

T. Mantere, N. Azzopardi, C. Xuereb