Newcomers Virtus Cynergi are one win away from the title after racing into a 2-0 lead in the BOV League play-off final series against champions AtoZ Electronics Athleta
Virtus Cynergi 60
A- Z Elect. Athleta 55
(17-11, 15-17, 15-11, 13-16)
Champions Athleta are on the verge of being dethroned by Cynergi Virtus who built on their opening-game 75-62 win by claiming the second game with a five-point margin.
A second successive defeat has left Joe Galea’s men needing to win the remaining three matches to retain the title.
However, Athleta, who had been dominant for most of the season, must step up their game by several notches as key players Chad Patus and Omar Said are playing well below their best.
Virtus led for most of the match but struggled in the last quarter after Athleta switched to a zone defence.
It was Virtus who enjoyed the better start to go 11-4 ahead after five minutes.
Athleta gradually began to find their touch but this was not enough to narrow the deficit as Virtus were 17-11 in front at the end of the first quarter.
After a balanced start to the second quarter, Virtus managed to extend their lead to nine points, 32-23, only for Athleta to stage a reaction and close the gap to four points, 32-28, going into half-time.
With both teams erratic in their shooting, it was towards the end of the third quarter that Virtus capitalised on Athleta’s lost possession to begin the last 10 minutes 47-39 ahead.
Virtus seemed in control as, with five minutes left, they enjoyed a 10-point advantage, 54-44.
A three-pointer by Said and Galea’s tactical change transformed Athleta who gained the upperhand, pulling to within one basket, 54-52, of the fading Virtus.
Two free-throws by Robert Bonnici arrested Virtus’s slump.
With less than a minute left, Athleta playmaker Roderick Vella delivered a three-pointer to narrow the gap to three points, 58-55.
Athleta retrieved possession with 22 seconds left but, in the dying stages, Patus missed his three-point attempt.
Virtus’s Mike Bruesewitz was fouled after getting first to a rebound and profited to seal his team’s win.
Virtus: S. Pace 2, B. Bugeja 11, R. Bonnici 2, A. Schembri, T. Grech, M. Bruesewitz 20, A. Felice Pace, A. Axiaq 9, I. Buldakov, G. Coleiro 2, P. Shoults 14, F. Bartolo.
Athleta: M. Naudi 15, R. Vella 10, F. Mifsud Bonnici, C. Patus 14, A. Aquilina, K. Baldacchino, O. Said 12, M. Gouder, M. Gauci Montaldo, I. Tanti 4, S. Schembri, S. Visevic.
Referees: B. Vassallo, G. Barbara, E. Mangani.
Playing on Sunday
BOV League play-off final (game 3): 16.30 Athleta vs Virtus.