Basketball national team players for Sicily training camps

Success on the international scene is a rare commodity for local sports organisations due mainly to more competitive and professional opposition outside our shores.

In this respect, the Malta Basketball Association (MBA) is not complaining though as these past two years the women's national team has shown great improvement which culminated with a gold medal in the GSSE 2003 and the right to play in next year's Commonwealth Games in Australia after a superb showing in the Promotion Cup.

Any sports organisation would have been satisfied with that achievement alone but the MBA is not stopping there. They have already lined up a rigorous training schedule for their national teams to keep the upward trend going.

MBA president Antonio Mizzi yesterday admitted that the men's team still have some work to do before reaching the equivalent heights of their counterparts in the women's national team.

However, he sounded confident that in the next few months the team will start to deliver again and was in no doubt that in Bruno Dipietrantonio's hands they will reap the desired dividends in the Andorra GSSE next May.

"Recently, we travelled to Sicily to meet our two national coaches, Santino and Bruno, and together we agreed on an intensive training programme for both national squads ahead of next year's GSSE and the return rounds of the European Championship qualifiers," Magistrate Mizzi said.

"The experiment of sending some of our squad members for regular training camps in Sicily with Coppa was a great hit.

"Those making the trip have shown remarkable progress, clearly reflected in the women's team play.

"Now, we have decided to adopt this same policy also with the men's team. In the coming weeks some of them will cross the channel to Sicily regularly and train with Dipietrantonio on a professional basis.

"I'm sure that this move will have the same effect it had on the women's team. By next June we will have a stronger squad, hopefully strong enough to challenge for a medal in Andorra."

At present, two national squad players, Josephine Grima and Joselle Cardona, are in Priolo for a season-long training camp. The MBA was satisfied with the progress of both players. The team will be in top shape to defend their gold medal in Andorra next year, Magistrate Mizzi said.

He added that preparations for the women's squad were not only intended for the GSSE but based on a long-term project which should reach its apex at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Here, Coppa's girls will be facing strong opposition, the likes of England, Australia, India, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nigeria and New Zealand.

"The Commonwealth Games are the biggest appointment the MBA has had for many years," Magistrate Mizzi said.

"We are taking this competition very seriously and we're seeking to leave a good impression in Australia. During the past few months we have scoured a list of players of Maltese descent who are playing abroad.

"So far, we have traced four top-notch players in Australia who have shown interest to play for our national team in international tournaments. Unfortunately, the country's stringent laws are making it difficult for them to acquire Maltese passports.

"But we have already started discussions with the authorities on this matter. We hope they will understand our position and finally issue the required documents to these players. We think they can give a valid contribution to our sport."

Foreigners in local leagues

General secretary Frank Camilleri yesterday announced that the MBA has decided to change its competitions rules regarding foreign players.

Camilleri said that prior to last week's meeting, foreign players were barred from playing in either the Kinnie or Peugeot leagues but junior overseas players residing in Malta were allowed to play in MBA youth competitions.

Now, following Malta's accession to the EU, the MBA has decided that those foreign players who have been residing here for the past three years could start playing in the senior divisions, with only one player with each club.

The rule comes into effect as from the next transfer window which opens between December 15 and 31.