BUPA, Dakar reach final

Dakar Sliema Wanderers will contest their third final of the season after seeing off Floriana in the semi-final of the BOV KO last weekend. Their opponents will be BUPA Luxol who qualified at the expense of Qormi Kia.

Floriana 50
Dakar SW 71
(16-18, 7-17, 12-22, 15-14)

Though shorn of several key players, Dakar Sliema Wanderers still succeeded in reaching the final after beating a Floriana side that lacked clear ideas in attack.

While Kristen Baldacchino and Etienne Bezzina were making a return after sitting out the last game for Dakar, Omar Said (suspended), Silvio Cassar, Tino Riolo and Duncan Cuschieri were all missing for the team.

Dakar took a 9-2 lead but Floriana gave hint of a fightback after a time-out. They upped their game and took a 12-11 advantage by the eighth minute. Dakar reacted quickly though and moved a basket in front at the end of the first quarter - 18-16.

With chief potter Don Ross tightly marked by Dakar, Floriana were now finding it difficult to conclude their attacks. At the interval Dakar led 35-23.

Floriana lost their plot after the break. They were hesitant from the free-throw line and their shots went astray. This played in Dakar's favour as they continued to pull away and stretch their lead to 57-35 for the final ten minutes.

Coach Joe Galea opted to give a run out to his substitutes in the last quarter. Dakar still did not lose composure as they controlled Floriana for an easy passage to the final.

Floriana: R. Spiteri, N. Falzon 10, J. Paris 2, A. Sultana 4, B. Riolo 12, B. Grech 1, V. Taborov, K. Borg 4, G. Gilson, R. Mifsud 4, G. Gauci Grech 4, D. Ross 9.

Dakar: M. Naudi 13, J. Zammit 2, M. Zammit 6, E. Bezzina 10, J. Galea 4, C. Calleja, A. Southward, A. Micallef 17, K. Baldacchino 9, T. Vella 4, J. Gatt 6.

Refs: B. Vassallo, A. Carbonaro.

Qormi Kia 42
Bupa Luxol 86
(12-20, 10-18, 8-29, 12-19)

Qormi had tall players Antoine Grech and Jason Dalli in the team.

Like Luxol, they were at full strength for this tie but it was John Tabone's team who shot straight into the lead and rarely looked back to book a place in the final.

Qormi were rather timid underneath the boards and Luxol fully profited from the situation to grab the rebounds and launch fast breaks.

A Roberto Formosa three-pointer saw Qormi 12-9 ahead in the sixth minute. Tabone called for a time-out and it took Luxol little time to surpass a bleak moment, hitting 11 consecutive points to finish the first 10 minutes in front.

They continued to be the better team in the next session and held a 38-22 half-time lead.

Qormi tried their best to give Luxol a hard time but their shooting average was rather low.

Luxol were always first on the loose balls and sped away to a clear advantage leaving their opponents gasping for breath.

Qormi: W. Griscti 2, A. Grech 5, K. Scicluna 9, A. Camilleri 2, J. Anastasi, R. Formosa 5, J. Dalli 6, R. Baldacchino 2, C. Bugeja 4, S. Cauchi 4, A. Baldacchino 3.

Luxol: C. Sammut 16, M. Mercieca 12, R. Azzopardi 10, M. Micallef 4, A. Borg 4, A. Bianchi 2, R. Dalli, D. Schembri 18, E. Caruana Montaldo, J. Jetsen 8, S. Schembri 12.

Refs: B. Vassallo, J.P. Sammut.

Gatorade League

(Friday, Feb. 9) 7.45 p.m. Depiro vs Siggiewi. (Saturday, Feb. 10) 4.15 p.m. Floriana vs Qormi. (Sunday, Feb. 11) 4.15 p.m. Luxol vs Dakar.