Gżira Athleta 92
Starlites 60

(30-16, 20-14, 20-17, 22-13)

Gżira Athleta’s ammunition proved too much for Starlites in the 27th Super Cup final as Joe Galea’s team registered a comfortable 92-60 victory on Sunday to collect their second honour after winning the pre-season Independence Cup.

Although the young Starlites, deprived of their play caller Ivan Mitrovic through suspension, got off to a promising start in the opening five minutes, Athleta’s offensive engine gradually started running as they had a 17-2 run in the next four minutes.

Their supremacy underneath the boards was also evident during the game with American Josiah Whitehead shooting well from close range and team captain Michael Naudi positively making use of situations where he had an advantage in a defensive mismatch.

After the change of ends, Gżira Athleta, playing in their 19th Super Cup game, went through another positive patch to further increase their lead to 30 points.

Starlites did try their best to limit the damage but Gżira Athleta were always in control to secure their 13th Super Cup success.

Joe Galea, the Gżira Athleta coach, said after the game that it was hard to motivate his players as they knew that their opponents were not the same team that won the league title last year.

“I believe we prepared well for the final as the score illustrates,” Galea said.

“Our plan was to press, try to dictate the game from the start and maintain control, also to give court time to our younger players.

“As a team, we still have a long way to go. We know that we have to face tougher teams in order to succeed in other competitions, starting with our next opponents Hibs in the Shield.

“We are still not at full strength as we are awaiting two other additions to the team by the end of December.”

MBA president Paul Sultana presented the St James Hospital Super Cup to Naudi at the end of the game.

Gżira Athleta: M. Naudi 24, R. Vella 4, D. Camilleri 7, L. Stefanovic, P. Shoults 11, F. Mifsud Bonnici 1, B. Zammit 11, S. Vincic, M. Gauci Montaldo 1, J. Whitehead 33.

Starlites: Q. Bugeja, L. Vella, A. Schembri 6, C. Schembri 3, M. Falzon 4, A. Felice Pace 12, Z. Stankovic 7, J. Formosa 16, M. Azzopardi, C. Doublet, T. Grech 12.

Refs: B. Vassallo, G. Barbara, S. Micallef

Super Cup winners
Athleta 13; Luxol 7; Depiro 5; Ħamrun Liberty 1; Virtus 1.