BUPA Luxol and Hibernians will be fighting for silverware for the fourth time this season when they go head to head in the BOV KO final on Saturday.
So far, these two teams have met each other in three other finals this season with Luxol holding the upper hand in the Super Cup while the Paolites came out on top in the MBA Shield and the Louis Borg Cup showdowns.
John Tabone, the founding member of Luxol and also first-team coach, admitted that his club enjoys a great history in the competition and is hopeful he can recover all his best players as he looks for his second honour of the season.
“The Knock Out trophy has a special meaning for our club,” Tabone told a news conference.
“I have led the team in 25 KO finals and managed to take the trophy home for 16 times so it’s no secret that I am keen to add another title to my club’s trophy cabinet.
“So far, our season has brought a lot of ups-and-downs with our performances badly affected by a number of fitness problems of my players. In the last few weeks we suffered a lot with the effects of influenza that has saw us playing without several key players. I just hope that the players will have enough time to recover all their energy so we can put on a strong performance against Hibs.
“Victory in KO final on Saturday has added value for us as it provides a ticket for next season’s Super Cup final that will guarantee us at an opportunity of trying to win all five honours for the second time in our history.”
On the other hand, Hibernians will be in search of a hat-trick of titles this season and Chad Patus is warming up for a tough battle.
“We’re are bracing ourselves for another tight battle against BUPA Luxol,” the Canadian forward, told reporters yesterday.
“So far this season we have managed to win two trophies and to add more silverware it takes a lot of team effort.
“I’m encouraged by the fact that we are improving as a team each week that passes as the players are getting to know each other more.
“Both teams know each other well and I have no doubt that it will be another cracking match but I’m confident that we can come out on top once again.”