Strong start ensures Starlites victory
Gzira Athleta 73 Starlites GIG 87 (9-22, 18-26, 22-21, 24-18)
Athleta never really recovered, after they were left behind until the interval. Although they retaliated in spurts, they didn't get near enough, and Starlites could control the match without any difficulty. Athleta, this second tier champions, for the alst two seasons, haven't yet found a remedy, to be more competitive, despite adding a foreign player in every game they played. On the other hand, the Starlites youngsters play with verve and ambition, and really enjoy their matches. Athleta were a changed side, from their last match. They had their Macedonian, Nikola Zdvaveski, missing, along with Luca Stefanovic, who is now concentrating on the A team, but Serbian, Alex Novakovic, and Italian, Nicolo Guida, returned, and there was another new face on the bench, although he remained there, a Lithuanian, Kanolis Vitonis. Starlites had Miguel Falzon back in the second team, and he played a blinder, with bench players, Miguel palmier and Finlay Spencer absent.
Starlites were eager from the start, making up a 10-1 beginning, as Quentin Bugeja and Miguel Falzon sank treys. Athleta answered back, as Italian, Ivan Cascione, netted a triple, but the rest of the session belonged to Starlites, as they made up a 12-1 run, with a Miguel Fabri trey, to forge well ahead. In the next period Starlites went on, with another 10-0 run, as Falzon and Fabri made more treys.
Athleta now had some distance to make up, with Novakovic helping them on, but Starlites came up with more treys, with a brace from Falzon, and another by Fabri. Athleta managed a 10-0 run, from Novakovic and the Italian, Nadir Serafini, with Starlites ending the session with another trey, from Mirco Azzopardi, to lead handsomely, 48-27, at the interval.
After the break the points were still coming, but were fairly shared out. Cascione sank another Athleta trey, with Bugeja doing the same, at the other end. Late in teh quarter Athleta grabbed some consecutive points, but Fabri put in a further Starlites triple, and his side were still in command, on a 69-49 score.
The last session was still evenly balanced, pointswise, with Starlites reacting to every Athleta hoop. Edward Sciberras struck with two late Athleta triples, but Bugeja sneaked in one for Starlites, in between. Hubert Agius ended teh match, with his points for Athleta, but there was still a large deficit for his side, with Starlites in command.
Athleta: I. Cascione 16, E. Abela 1, E. Sciberras 6, N. Guida 12, A. Kechiagas 2, H. Agius 6, K. Vitonos, A. Novakovic 19, N. Buhagiar 4, N. Serafini 5, J. Ransley 2, R. Abela
Starlites: M. Barbara 2, M. Azzopardi 18, L. Riolo, M. Fabri 20, N. Sultana, M. Falzon 28, A. Vella,
Q. Bugeja 15, A. Xuereb Stankovic
Referees:
Torok 4, B.
Z. Dobrosavljevic, D.