Starlites JSD are the winners of the BOV Basketball 1st Division Knockout Competition.
The winners of the last edition of this competition continued to consolidate their position as the top team in local Basketball winning their third title this season following their success in the Super Cup and the John Tabone Shield.
Starlites beat Sigma Depiro 89-83 in the final to add their third honour of the season and keep their bid to win all available awards this season alive.
Starlites opened the score with a trey and we're very effective from the 3-point line and closed the first session enjoying a 16-point lead with a score of 29-13.
Depiro piled on the pressure in the second session but failed to make significant inroads into Starlites' lead going into the break at 43-33.
Ruben Baldacchino's men cut the deficit down in the closing stages of the third session to 60-57 reopening the game.
In the last session, Cornelius evened the game with a trey and strong play by Depiro under the boards saw them going 68-64 up with 6 minutes to go. Starlites tied it at 68 all with Bozovic putting Depiro ahead with a trey. Starlites again took a 2 point lead and 2 Scerri treys and a basket by Hinckson put them up by 10. Cornelius hit a trey and got the extra points from the free throw line to make it 81-75. Scerri got another trey for Starlites with James adding another trey. Depiro's attempts fell short with Starlites closing the game 89-83.
Stefan Abela, Manager CSR at Bank of Valletta and Paul Sultana, President of the Malta Basketball Association presented the BOV Basketball 1st Division Knockout Trophy to Starlites’ captain Alec Felice Pace.
Kurt James was also voted Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Final, and presented with a commemorative trophy.
Bank of Valletta’s long-term partnership with the Malta Basketball Association aims to inspire the next generation to help grow the sport, promote physical health and foster a sense of community. The Bank is this year celebrating its 50 years of operations and can trace its relationship with the MBA back to the 1980s.