The women’s team completed their match programme in Iceland with a 72-41 victory over Monaco late Friday which meant third place and a bronze medal for the girls.
As the scoreline clearly shows Angela Adamoli’s team were all over their opponents and had the game sewn up by the half-time break when they led 34-17.
In the last two quarters the Maltese administered their lead wisely for a comfortable win. Christina Grima was the game’s leading scorer with 18 points.
Paul Sultana, the Malta Basketball Association president, sported a wide grin at the end of the match having seen the team avoiding the prospect of returning home empty-handed for a second successive GSSE after the fourth place of Luxembourg 2013.
“Our only aim in Iceland was a top-three finish,” Sultana told The Sunday Times of Malta.
“We reckoned the home team and Luxembourg were stronger so our sights shifted to the bronze medal. Against Iceland, however, we had a great match and probably would have won it on another day.
“That upset left a tinge of disappointment as it showed that we could have challenged for silver as well.”
Sultana said they were unable to arrange a couple of warm-up matches to put the girls into motion ahead of the GSSE tournament.
“Due to FIBA restrictions we couldn’t organise any friendlies at this time of the year and that left us short of match-practice,” he said.
“That showed here as Angela’s team only gelled after two matches. In fact, the real strength of the side emerged on Friday but by then it was too late to aspire for higher objectives.”
Sultana is now urging the women’s team to produce a stronger showing in the FIBA European Championship.
“We have a very young team full of promising players who are willing to learn and improve,” Sultana said.
“Our next big tournament is the European Championship next year and we are geared up to reach that competition in peak condition.
“A good result in the Europeans will be a huge confidence boost for the next GSSE in San Marino where we want the women’s team to challenge for a top-two position.”