The senior Malta Basketball Association competitions get off to an official start tomorrow afternoon with the Malta Sports Journalists Super Cup up for grabs in both men and women categories.
The two protagonists in the National League last season will be involved in the 2015-16 curtain raiser as champions Falken Cynergi Virtus face Gżira Athleta, the KO winners, in the 26th Super Cup contest for men.
Athleta are the ones with the most Super Cup successes – 12 – the last six in succession.
Coach Joe Galea missed the pre-season Independence Cup tournament through suspension but he will be back on the bench tomorrow.
“As the most successful team in the past 15 years, Athleta are aiming to add another Super Cup title to our list of honours,” he said.
“The club’s amalgamation with Gżira United FC should give the squad an added motivation to win the first trophy under our new name of Gżira Athleta.”
Athleta, who have engaged American Markus Montague, had some players missing in the pre-season tournament last month, but they will be in full strength for the Super Cup.
“We are set to field the best team possible for this final against Virtus including the return of Michael Naudi and Roderick Vella,” Galea confirmed.
Cynergi, fresh from their first league championship win, will be aiming to be the fifth club in history to lift the men’s Super Cup.
Other winners include Luxol (seven times and first-ever winners in 1991), Depiro (5) and Ħamrun Liberty (1).
Coach Paul Ferrante is looking forward to a positive performance from his team this season.
Virtus have American Chris Santo in the side and Ferrante reckons playing Athleta in a key match has always given his players the right amount of motivation.
“Last season we played three finals against Athleta – the MBA Shield, KO and the league play-offs,” he said.
“Apart from the usual pre-match expectations, which every final brings with it, the fact that Athleta have a group of experienced players in their roster will compel us to stay in focus the entire match.
“Our opponents have players who have been on top in the local scene for a number of years, players who deserve respect.
“Definitely, they be tough to beat in the Super Cup.”
Women’s contest
The women’s final, the 25th in the series, sees league champions Caffe Moak Luxol playing Athleta.
Luxol were the first ever winners of the women’s Super Cup in 1992.
They have claimed the early-season honour in the last four years and tomorrow they will try to win it for the seventh time to surpass Depiro who are also on six successes.
Hibernians remain the all-time best in this competition with nine Super Cup titles.
Luxol, now led on the sidelines by Charles Bonnici, beat Athleta 48-26 in a 30-minute game in the Independence Cup.
However, the first official game of the season could produce a different outcome.
Athleta, the 2015 KO winners and coached by Ruth Spiteri, will be featuring in their first Super Cup final since 1998. The club has two Super Cup wins (in 1995 and 1998).
This will be the first time that the teams of Luxol and Athleta will meet in a women’s Super Cup.