Last second trey hands honour to Starlites
Starlites GIG 86 Hibernians 83 (17-7, 16-26, 30-24, 23-26)
What a nailbiting match it was, and it was decided right at the death, with a clinical Cameron Ward trey, to down the champions, leaving them with no occasion to retaliate.
The new foreigners rule lived up to expectations, with some grand play, and the locals on court also gave a creditable account of themselves, as play swung from end to end, with both sides enjoying patches of play.
It could have gone either way, but Starlites held their last possession till the end, to deliver the death blow, and walk away with the honour, for the second time, after 2014, won under the Virtus name.
Hibs came back stoutly on two occasions, at teh start, and just after the least quarter began, only to be pipped at the finishing post. Starlites paraded their full American contingent, of four players, fielding Andrew Sears and Joe tagarelli, for the first time, along with Jordan Stotts and Cameron ward. Luxol had their now well-known foreigners, who provided nearly the total score of their outfit.
Starlites were on fire at the start, with an opening 12-0 run, before the Paolites could start their ecovery, with Chad Cuschieri Patus sinking a triple, but they were still trailing.
The second period had the champions getting teh measure of their opponents, as they began crawling back, with Spaniard, Alvaro Lizau, r nailing three treys in succession. Jordan Scott caught the eye, for Starlites, with some flying dunks, lobbed perfectly by his team mates. When Hibs went near, it was again Starlites' turn, to edge away once more, as Tagarelli sank a triple.
The last part of the session belonged to the Paolites, as they made up the leeway, with a 10-2 run, and more Cuschieri Patus points, and another trey, for a perfect 33-33 halftime score.
After the break Hibs forged ahead, as Lizaur again began netting his triples. Starlites were chasing at this time, with Lizaur making another trey. Here it was the locals pulling Starlites into another lead, as Nick Formosa and Alec felice Pace netted triples. Hibs regained their advantage, with a further Lizaur trey, but Starlites were on song once more, putting in a 10-2 session ending run, with Felice Pace sinking another brace of triples, for a 63-57 lead.
In the last quarter Starlites pushed away, with a 7-2 run, and a ward trey. The champions p[icked themselves up, to register a healthy 12-0 run, which overturned the scores Marco Mayijevic and the other Serbian, Ivan Demcesen, now fully registered, thrust their side in front. The lead then changed hands five times, with Stotts sinking his triple, for Starlites.
Late in the match Starlites were leading, but the paolites drew level twice. With twenty two seconds left on the clock Starlites held possession till the end, through ward, who then delivered a central triple clean through the hoop, for his match winner.
After the match the MBA General Secretary, Joseph Muscat, handed Alec Felice Pace with the winning trophy, as the numerous Starlites supporters were still making merry with their side's success.
Starlites: O. Psaila, N. Formosa 6, R. Bonnici 4, I. Felice Pace, C. Ward 14, M. Falzon, A. Felice Pace 15, R. Carabott, M. Scerri A. Sears 8, J. Tagarelli 18, J. Stotts 21
Hibs: R. Vella 5, P. Attard, K. Sultana, L. Farrugia, M. Formosa, I. Bonett, A. Axiaq 2, M. Matijevic 19, A. Lizaur 23, I. Demcesen 22, C. Cuschieri Patus 12
Referes: B. Vassallo, T. Mantere, I. Simic