FIBA Basketball
Malta: Basketball girls a whisker away from victory
The Malta national team lost its third match in Pool B of the Commonwealth Games basketball tournament for women yesterday but Santino Coppa's girls were very close to snatching victory from Malaysia who
From: www.timesofmalta.com
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The Malta national team lost its third match in Pool B of the Commonwealth Games basketball tournament for women yesterday but Santino Coppa's girls were very close to snatching victory from Malaysia who finished at the better end of a 68-65 scoreline (11-17, 13-15, 24-18, 20-15).
With no other Maltese athletes in action yesterday in Melbourne, the Malta Olympic Committee focus centred on the basketball team's match at the Ballarat Minerdome.
After defeats to New Zealand (47-127) and Nigeria (44-86), Malta were looking at this match to break their duck in the qualifying round.
At first, things looked like going their way. At half-time Malta led Malaysia 32-24. However, the Asians lifted their game significantly after the break and after taking the lead they held on to a hard-earned win.
Josephine Grima was the team's leading scorer with 29 points. None of the Malaysia players managed a better tally than Grima's. BeverLee Ann Zammit potted nine points and Lucienne Bezzina eight.
Today, Malta face India and Malaysia take on Mozambique in the play-offs for 5-8th places.
The semi-finalists are Australia, England, New Zealand and Nigeria.
Busy schedule
Today is a busy day for Maltese athletes at the Games.
Lindsay Borg will figure in the 75kg weightlifting competition for women and swimmer Angela Galea takes part in the 200m butterfly heats at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre.
Table tennis player Simon Gerada plays his first match in the men's tournament, also at the Sports and Aquatics Centre. He faces Tuvalu's Napetari Tioti.
Tuvalu is a small nation in the South Pacific Ocean with a population of 12,000.
Rebecca Madyson will be at the Melbourne Gun Club ranges for the women's Trap competition which will be completed today.
The men's shoot, comprising 42 participants, starts with the first qualifying round before tomorrow's final. In men's Trap, Malta will be represented by Frans Pace.
Also today, Leonard Callus and Francis Vella will be aiming to book a berth in the lawn bowls semi-finals by beating the South Africa pair at the State Lawn Bowls Centre.
In singles, Shaun Parnis plays against Scotland's Darren Burnett.
After this round, Parnis will play two other matches before the line-up for the quarter-finals will be known.
Maltese cyclists are also lined up to race in the two time trial races today for men and women.
The squad includes Stephania Magri, Etienne Bonello, Nick Formosa, Jack Schiavone and David Treacy.
View source article here
The Malta national team lost its third match in Pool B of the Commonwealth Games basketball tournament for women yesterday but Santino Coppa's girls were very close to snatching victory from Malaysia who finished at the better end of a 68-65 scoreline (11-17, 13-15, 24-18, 20-15).
With no other Maltese athletes in action yesterday in Melbourne, the Malta Olympic Committee focus centred on the basketball team's match at the Ballarat Minerdome.
After defeats to New Zealand (47-127) and Nigeria (44-86), Malta were looking at this match to break their duck in the qualifying round.
At first, things looked like going their way. At half-time Malta led Malaysia 32-24. However, the Asians lifted their game significantly after the break and after taking the lead they held on to a hard-earned win.
Josephine Grima was the team's leading scorer with 29 points. None of the Malaysia players managed a better tally than Grima's. BeverLee Ann Zammit potted nine points and Lucienne Bezzina eight.
Today, Malta face India and Malaysia take on Mozambique in the play-offs for 5-8th places.
The semi-finalists are Australia, England, New Zealand and Nigeria.
Busy schedule
Today is a busy day for Maltese athletes at the Games.
Lindsay Borg will figure in the 75kg weightlifting competition for women and swimmer Angela Galea takes part in the 200m butterfly heats at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre.
Table tennis player Simon Gerada plays his first match in the men's tournament, also at the Sports and Aquatics Centre. He faces Tuvalu's Napetari Tioti.
Tuvalu is a small nation in the South Pacific Ocean with a population of 12,000.
Rebecca Madyson will be at the Melbourne Gun Club ranges for the women's Trap competition which will be completed today.
The men's shoot, comprising 42 participants, starts with the first qualifying round before tomorrow's final. In men's Trap, Malta will be represented by Frans Pace.
Also today, Leonard Callus and Francis Vella will be aiming to book a berth in the lawn bowls semi-finals by beating the South Africa pair at the State Lawn Bowls Centre.
In singles, Shaun Parnis plays against Scotland's Darren Burnett.
After this round, Parnis will play two other matches before the line-up for the quarter-finals will be known.
Maltese cyclists are also lined up to race in the two time trial races today for men and women.
The squad includes Stephania Magri, Etienne Bonello, Nick Formosa, Jack Schiavone and David Treacy.