With the KO competitions over, focus now shifts on the league championship with the first semi-final play-offs scheduled for the end of this week.

There has always been added interest at this stage of the season, not least for the women's game. The Malta Basketball Association (MBA) started organising competitions for female teams way back in 1972.

MCAST were the first side to win a women's championship. Under a different name of Polytechnic Fiat, they won a double in 1976/77 when the KO competition was introduced. By that season, Polytechnic had already won three championships, the other winners being Gzira YC (73/74) and Luxol (74/75).

It took almost 15 years for the MBA to launch another competition for women. The MBA Shield was contested in 1989/90 and the first club to inscribe their name on it was Floriana.

Luxol won the first women's Super Cup two years later and Hibs Go Mobile became the first victors of the Louis Borg Cup in 2000. The Paolites dominated the local basketball scene between 1989 and 2001, winning no fewer than 30 trophies.

Hibs' hold on the championship was broken in 2001 by Depiro Still, champions twice in succession and currently in the reckoning to make it three in a row. Hibs, Luxol Vodafone and Naxxar Danone are the other teams in the play-offs this year.

So far this season, Depiro retained their hold on the Super Cup and Louis Borg Cup. Earlier this month, Hibs showed their true mettle in the KO competition, winning it for a record fifth successive time.

Play-offs fixtures

Women's League SFs - (Saturday) 3.45 p.m. Depiro vs Naxxar. (Sunday) 11 a.m. Luxol vs Hibs; 12.45 p.m. Naxxar vs Depiro.

Kinnie League SFs - (Saturday) 5.30 p.m. Luxol vs Siggiewi. (Sunday) 2.30 p.m. Hamrun vs Pembroke; 4.15 p.m. Siggiewi vs Luxol.

Hibs Go Mobile - KO winners.