Category: FIBA Europe Cup

‘Grateful’ Reddish Rhone embracing impressive debut

Just a few weeks after Starlites announced the signing of import guard Trevon Reddish Rhone, the American put up a 20-point showing against Anorthosis Famagusta in the team’s opening leg of the FIBA Europe Cup qualifiers at the Ta’ Qali Pavilion.

Speaking to the press after the game on Tuesday, the former Presbyterian College player said he was ‘blessed and ‘grateful’ for the opportunity.

“Personally, I’m just really proud of the guys, proud of the team. This was big for the country overall – this country hasn’t seen anything like this. So it was a blessing and I’m grateful just to be able to, you know, play for this country and play the game like this,” Reddish Rhone said.

Reddish Rhone, who shot 62.5% while grabbing six rebounds and three steals in 32.07 minutes experienced the physicality of the European game in an impressive debut, which saw him finish second in scoring before getting fouled out late in the game.

Speaking about the level of opponents, he admitted “They’re pros for a reason”.

“This team was way more physical than probably an average college team that I’ve played,” he said.

“They’re way more organised, faster, and more athletic. I mean, they’re pros, and you know, they’re pros for a reason. They make a lot of wild threes. They’re still beatable, for sure, though, but that’s probably some of the key differences.”

Asked about his debut, the 6’4 guard said it would give him confidence for the coming games.

“This was a good first experience for me, a good first European professional basketball game,” Reddish Rhone said. 

“I learned a lot from this game in terms of just keeping a cool temper. I see how they call fouls now – they call little tic-tac fouls and travels. The scrimmages prepared me as well. It’s always different from a real European game, but this was a really good experience for me.

“It’s going to give me more confidence – I’m a paid player. I get fouled a lot. I was making free throws and that opened up my game more. 

“When I get deep in the paint, a lot of people like to collapse on me. I’ve got to kick the ball out and get somebody wide on the three. That’s going to open up the game for me and our team as a whole. We’ve got shooters all around the court.

“I was trying to force sometimes – that’s why I had six turnovers. But I’m going to watch film to learn from this game and get better from this game. 

“We’re going to scout. They’re going to scout me. They’re going to scout our team and all. It’s a film session tomorrow. We, as a team, learn from this. It’s going to be a really good game. We’ve got to take it to them.”

Starlites ‘not easy to stop’ says Anorthosis coach Constantinides

With the opening fixture of this season’s FIBA Europe Cup in the books, Anorthosis Famagusta coach Antonis Constantinides believes his team would be making a mistake by believing the contest is over.

Speaking to a post-match press conference after their 81-74 victory against Starlites in the first leg of their qualifiers, the 2023-24 Cypriot League’s coach of the year said it was a pleasure playing against the Malta champions on Tuesday.

“First of all, I want to give my huge congratulations to Starlites for what they showed today,” Constantinides said. 

“From the time when we had the draw in FIBA and we recognised we would play against this team, I tried to find information and it was difficult for me and I recognised there is one really good and helpful organisation in this club. As a person of basketball, it is my pleasure to watch and play against me in this competition clubs like Starlites.”

Asked about the game, which brought to the Ta’ Qali Pavilion more than 800 spectators, the Famagusta coach said it was a deserved win.

“I think it is very clear. From the time when we had, we led for almost 39 minutes so, most probably we deserve this win,” he explained, “But this is what I said to my players: ‘if you are not serious for 40 minutes and make our lead bigger when we are up by 10 or 13 points, teams like Starlites can cause you a lot of damage’. 

“[The return leg] is difficult for both teams because both teams travel. But I think the game on Friday will be much more interesting also and start from 0-0. So we make a very big mistake if we believe it’s finished. We have just one small advantage on these seven points. 

Bench impact amid foul trouble

As is customary with Starlites, the second half brings out the side’s mentality and this caused Anorthosis’ momentum to falter. Constantinides believes they can’t underestimate Starlites despite the difference on paper.

“The game started from the beginning in the last two minutes of the third quarter when it was 13 points, and we made two or three mistakes at the top of the basket,” he said.

“For me, honestly, it’s unacceptable for a professional team to do so. It was like a school team in the last two minutes of the third quarter and it’s a very good lesson for us and we are lucky because at the end of the day, we didn’t finish in defeat.”

Asked about the impact of bench players, Constantinides said: “That is why we pay them to do a good job”, lauding the efforts of new signing Andreas Himonas who joined him at the press conference.

“That’s why one team is from 10 or 12 players,” he remarked. 

“That’s why we pay them to do a good job and that’s why Andreas Himonas is here with me because for me he was the MVP today in defence and in offence, and we have to give him congratulations. But I don’t want to underestimate all the efforts Starlites made. They play offensively, it’s not easy for any team to stop this.”

By the end of the third quarter on Tuesday, Anorthosis was at risk of losing three players to fouls, and early on in the fourth, they did in fact, lose centre Andrew Gordon. However, Constantinides believes that was not much of an issue, referencing his philosophy of physical basketball.

“As a coach, this is my philosophy – this is all what I believe. I start first from the defence and after from the offence. I don’t care if they make five fouls or four fouls. That’s why I have 12 players, 10 players,” he explained.

Cancer survivor Himonas lauds ‘great opportunity’

Cypriot guard Himonas came off the bench on Tuesday to finish with eight points, seven rebounds, and two assists in around 20 minutes of play. Asked about the experience with his new team after joining over the summer, Himonas a recovered cancer survivor after having been diagnosed last November, said it was an honour.

“First of all, I want to congratulate Starlites for a great game,” Himonas said, “it’s an honour to represent a huge club like Anorthosis. 

“It’s a great opportunity for us, all of my teammates, to play in the Europe Cup and try to be the first team for this club to go to the group stage. We try our best to play for what we represent, our country and the huge club we represent.”

Ferrante praises ‘professional’ Starlites after FIBA Europe Cup debut

32 years after the previous Maltese club took part in European competition, Starlites got their debut in the FIBA Europe Cup qualifiers out of the way on Tuesday with a close 81-74 defeat to Cypriot side Anorthosis Famagusta at the Ta’ Qali Pavilion.

Speaking to the press after the game, Starlites coach Paul Ferrante said this opener would give him and his staff a clear image of what needed to be fixed.

“Talking after a loss is always difficult, irrespective of the loss,” he said. Today we managed to stay close to our opponents, but that was not our main job.”

“I would like to congratulate my players for the job they did on the court and obviously, the opponents, because they beat us. But the thing is, we have to look at what situations we need to fix.

“We had an idea of the players they had but we did not have an idea of the team, because you couldn’t find anything of their friendly games. All that we can say now is that in this ‘first half’, they are plus-seven. 

“This is a game that continues, but it continues in their own home. Nevertheless, the game is still open.

Professional Starlites mentality

Asked about the difference in level the team experienced on the day, Ferrante mentioned the physical nature of play, as well as the use of the Instant Replay System (IRS), which had also been proposed for the local game a few years ago, but never materialised.

“This was a very physical game. In Malta, we are not used to playing this physically because we call many more fouls, many more contacts, but this is a good level of basketball,” he said. 

“This is also the first time we used the IRS in Malta. For the past two years, we never used the VAR system. And smartly enough, it was used by the other team to break the rhythm. This is also one thing which we can do as coaches. When you want to break the rhythm of the game, you can ask also for a review. And obviously, it has to be the referees who have to agree on it.”

Despite talks of ‘professional vs amateur’ before the tie, this was not the case on Tuesday as the teams showed no sign of disparity throughout the game.

“Famagusta are a professional team. But I would praise my guys because they acted like a professional team. And I would like to reiterate that having guys, getting time off work to come, you know, practise in the morning so that they still manage to fit two sessions shows determination,” Ferrante said.

“Putting the group together was not easy in such a short span, with so many changes. I think the guys who came in did a good job.”

Speaking about the second leg, Ferrante said they have a better idea of what to expect.

“Now that we have a game against them under our belt, it will be easier to see what they can do. We had an idea because all the imports they had were full games of where they were playing last year.

“We don’t have the advantage of having the recovery that our opponents have, because we have to go to work in the morning. But again, the difference between us today wasn’t that big.

“They were better in some aspects and we were careless in some other aspects. So, if we took away half of the careless mistakes, which were a considerable number, maybe we would be talking in a different way now. Having said that, they still remain the favourites.

“Now they have a seven-point lead. This was the first half. Second half – bigger supporters for them.”

Starlites face tough European test as Anorthosis come to town

The Ta’ Qali Pavilion will be buzzing with excitement on Tuesday evening as Malta’s VisitMalta Starlites Naxxar host Cyprus’ Anorthosis Famagusta in the first leg of their Europe Cup qualifying tie (tip-off: 20:00). 

It’s a key moment for both teams, as they look to take a crucial step towards the European group stages.

Starlites come into this tie after a dominant domestic season. The Maltese club completed a clean sweep, winning all four domestic trophies available, establishing themselves as the island’s unbeatable force. However, their coach, Paul Ferrante, is aware that European competition presents a different kind of challenge.

“This year, basically, we have a different start to the season,” Ferrante remarked in his pre-game comments to the team’s socials. 

“It was only fair that we give them the opportunity to compete at another level. We had a lot of changes from last year… but overall, the club deserves this opportunity to play against a pro team because let’s not forget that Famagusta are a professional team.”

Ferrante has made key additions to his squad during the summer, bringing in players like Kolten Mortensen, Carson Newsome, Joe Davis, Trevon Reddish Rhone, and Andrew Aquilina to bolster their ranks for what promises to be an intense season ahead. Despite the changes, six core players from last year remain, giving Starlites the experience and cohesion needed to take on such high-level opposition.

Anorthosis Eyeing Group Stage

Anorthosis Famagusta, meanwhile, have their sights firmly set on progressing in Europe. After finishing second in the regular season of the Cypriot League and losing out in the playoffs, they are eager to push forward on the European stage. 

Last year, Anorthosis competed in the FIBA Europe Cup but were unable to make an impact, losing both games they played.

Despite these setbacks, the Cypriot side, under the guidance of Antonis Constantinides – last season’s coach of the year in Cyprus – remain confident. 

The club has made a string of significant signings over the summer, including Andrew Gordon, Kentwan Smith, Greg Williams Jr, Jarvis Garrett, Viktoras Jeronimides, Andreas Chimonas, and Stefanos Iliadis adding both international flair and local talent. 

Technical director Sakis Pasha expressed optimism about the match, noting the importance of their fan support.

“Our goal is to all be together for the first time in a European group stage,” said Pasha, “I’ve heard that we’ll have a good crowd in Malta as well.”

With both teams making key summer signings and aiming for European success, this promises to be an intriguing match-up. 

Starlites will look to make their home advantage count, while Anorthosis are determined to learn from last year’s Europe Cup campaign and push for a result away from home.

A lot will depend on how quickly these revamped squads gel under pressure. With passionate fans expected on both sides, it’s sure to be a thrilling contest that will bring high-level basketball to the Maltese scene.

Ferrante focusing on tangibles after short preseason

As Starlites prepare for their debut in the FIBA Europe Cup qualifiers, coach Paul Ferrante believes it will be a case of doing their job as best as they can on Tuesday after a short preseason.

Asked by Malta Basketball during a press conference on Tuesday about what the focus will be for his side now that the team is set up and ready for action, the Starlites coach said there are many factors which are new but if they ‘focus on the tangibles’, a good result is possible.

“Our focus will be always on the tangibles – putting these things together, the result may come. The reason I say this is because it is a first for us, even in the sense that we’ve never had five imports and in the local scene, we have to see how this will impact our team,” Ferrante said. 

“We’ve had a taste of this in the Elite basketball preseason tournament when we played USA Select, but we have another week to improve. Our job will be to do the best we can on the day.”

Speaking about the team’s overall level of preparation, Ferrante believes many of his players are match-fit, while others will be better off the bench.

“Next week we’ll be one week more match fit than we were in the last,” he explained. 

“Comparing budgets with the Anorthosis Famagusta, they’ve probably started training before us. We had a shorter preseason. The majority are match fit and we’ve got others who will give an important input but with less minutes.”

Team Dynamics

The Starlites coach made reference to team dynamics, lauding the way the players have come together so quickly.

This was echoed by new import signing Joe Davis, who said it was an honour to be playing with such a team.

“It’s an incredible experience and opportunity for myself,” the Canadian told Malta Basketball, “being here the last couple of days and really just getting to know the basketball community and the staff and the volunteers and everyone that’s involved with Starlites Basketball. 

“You learn really quickly that it’s not about you at all and there’s much more going on here. These guys have put a lot of work in for a very long time and it just makes you realise that this experience is so much greater than yourself as an individual.

“I’m very lucky to be here. It’s a great honour to come here and play for these guys. It makes you want to work that much harder and do that much better as a team just to represent the Starlights in Malta.”

Speaking to Malta Basketball, co-captain Kurt Xuereb, who re-signed with the club earlier in September, said “Everyone stepped up to the challenge” as the team went through big changes over the summer.

“The dynamic is very different within the team due to us having five imports, so everyone is trying to settle in and get on the same page so that we can handle plays and other new things,” Xuereb said.

“However, the work we’ve done as a team shows that everyone stepped up to the challenge.

“We’re training early in the morning when obviously a lot of the players have work or school so it’s not easy but I believe we are in a good state. Training and the game are all of a high level which gives us a good basis to compete.”

Starlites will be playing a friendly game against Hibernians this weekend, facing what Ferrante said were the “the best other local team”

“They have a 7’2 guy plus two Americans so it will be of a high enough level for us to test our fitness in general,” Ferrante said.

Starlites make squad official ahead of FIBA Europe Cup qualifiers

Malta champions Starlites launched their squad for the FIBA Europe Cup qualifiers on Tuesday with 12 players making the cut ahead of their debut next week at the Ta’ Qali Pavilion against Anorthosis Famagusta of Cyprus.

In a press conference, coach Paul Ferrante made official the names of 12 players joining him for the two-game tie, including a mix of local and import players. The Starlites mentor lauded his player’s attitude throughout preseason, saying their energy would be vital for the experience ahead.

“I see these guys – the way they come in full of energy – that is the first step and it augurs well for a good outing so that we can be well-prepared,” Ferrante told the press conference.

“Some guys have been in Malta for three or four days and we are already getting better and better. We had a good preseason tournament which was very important for us to give us a good evaluation of the things we need to work on.”

 Speaking about the club’s new additions to the nucleus of Starlites players who have grown together, Ferrante explained the loss of Alec Felice Pace and Matt Attard, as well as their European opponents’ calibre fuelled their acquisition of five new imports, two more than usual.

“Apart from the three import players we usually have, even because we lost Alec Felice Pace and Matt Attard, we opted to add two more as in the European cup there are no restrictions for import players,” the title-winning coach said.

“We are playing against a professional team but our behaviour as a semi-professional team has been pro. When you see these players getting time off and being there at 7.30 in the morning for a session which is obviously out of their work time, that for me, means they are already winners.”

Historical moment

Starlites president Ivan Riolo also had words of praise for what he called a “historical moment for the club” however, when asked by Malta Basketball about the club’s expectations, he emphasised that while they were ambitious, they would have to keep their feet on the ground.

“It is a club milestone, a historical moment for the club, competing for the first time in the FIBA Europe Cup,” Riolo said. 

“It’s been a long path and it’s been a demanding endeavour. A lot of people have put a lot of energy and hard work into it and now we’re looking forward to the big day.

“This is a level that is not one step higher but a new experience altogether. Our target is to go there and win obviously but we can’t be over-ambitious. We are ambitious but we must also keep our feet on the ground and understand that we are playing against opposition with Europe Cup experience. Given it’s a first for us, this is also motivation that we need to energise our team and get the boys going on the court.

“More than the result, I would really like Starlites to make a name in FIBA basketball and we play our game in a positive way.”

Malta Basketball Association (MBA) president Paul Sultana was also present at the event and said this was another stepping stone for Maltese basketball.

“It is our pleasure to support this initiative,” Sultana said, “Well done to Starlites – this is another stepping stone for basketball in Malta. I’m happy to see these young guys taking part in Europe – I’m sure it will be something they will remember for a very long time.”

Finally, Naxxar mayor Dr Christopher Deguara said the local council was proud to support this endeavour.

“It is a great pleasure for us that you honour us by carrying our locality’s name,” Deguara said. 

“We look at sports not only as just sports but we believe in it as it brings people together and keeps us active and healthy. As a council, this is part of our way forward and that is why we are very proud to support this.”

Orange is the new blue

In addition to their team’s launch, Starlites also launched their new kits for the FIBA Europe Cup and the coming season with orange replacing the team’s away blue kits. 

“We’re very proud to launch this new attire,” Riolo said. 

“The colours of our club are blue and white but we gave a voice to our young athletes this time and asked them for feedback. They decided to take our third colour, orange, and make it a bit more prominent and bright. 

“It is also a tribute to our first kit eight or nine years ago after amalgamating with Virtus Basket.”

Riolo closed by thanking the team’s sponsors VisitMalta, Teamsport, SportMalta, JSD, KM Malta Airlines, Revive, H2Only and the MBA.

Starlites FIBA Europe Cup Squad:

Ian Felice Pace, Kurt Xuereb, Matthew Scerri, Louie Farrugia, Miguel Fabri, Neil Sultana, Joe Davis, Trevon Reddish Rhone, Max Curran, Kolten Mortensen, Carson Newsome, Andrew Aquilina.

Starlites set for Cyprus trip to face Anorthosis in FIBA Europe Cup qualifiers

Malta Division One champions Starlites discovered their opponents in the qualifying round of the FIBA Europe Cup on Friday as the Naxxar side were pitted against Anorthosis Famagusta.

At the draws held in Munich, Starlites were part of the group of unseeded teams and now face the Cypriot side in a home-and-away format in September with their first fixture taking place on September 24 at Ta’ Qali and their away fixture in Famagusta on three days later.

Starlites’ opponents Anorthosis have consistently participated in the FIBA Europe Cup, showcasing their talent on the international stage. However, they have never reached the later stages of the competition.

Domestically, Anorthosis are a dominant force in the Cypriot Basketball Division 1. They consistently compete for the championship title and finished second in the regular season this past campaign. This means Starlites will have a tough bone to pick in two months’ time.

In a club statement after the draws, Starlites president Ivan Riolo said: “We are looking forward to facing Anorthosis Famagusta next September for our Qualifying Game. The club has received significant support and interest locally following its announcement on Tuesday. This is not just a first for the club, but something Maltese Basketball clubs should keep looking at year after year, as it will allow the Maltese Basketball game to develop further and Maltese Basketball players to gain international exposure.”

“This is not just an achievement for Starlites Naxxar Basketball Club, but an achievement for the Maltese Basketball community.”

Were they to progress into the regular season, Starlites would then play in Group B of the competition against the likes of Casademont Zaragoza, Bursaspor, and the loser of the Basketball Champions League qualifiers’ semifinal.

‘We need to step up’ says Felice Pace ahead of Starlites’ European adventure

Just days after the Malta Basketball revealed that Starlites captain Alec Felice Pace would be leaving the club in favour of a move overseas to Germany to join City Basket Recklinghausen in the Regionalliga 1 West, fellow Felice Pace brother Ian will now be taking charge of the team’s captaincy together with Kurt Xuereb for the coming season.

Speaking to Malta Basketball, Ian Felice Pace said that the team has learnt a lot from his brother but it is now time for them to step up.

“When he (Alec) announced it to us, we were all gathered together at the end-of-season meeting, and it was a shock for all of us,” he said.

“As his brother, I knew about it before, but still, you know, having him there to show the ropes the whole time, and being that smile in a morning session where you just don’t feel like it was important. He would just be up and down, jumping around smiling, and you know it lifts our spirits as well. So those 8AM sessions were okay then.

“We just have to step up now. We learned from him a lot, a lot, both on and off the court, so we just need to carry what he learnt and take it out there on the court and give it our all.”

Memorable season

On the back of a memorable season at Starlites, helping the team win all possible domestic trophies, Felice Pace was awarded an important role within coach Duncan Fenech’s National Team, starting all but one of the five games played throughout the FIBA European Small Countries Championship in Andorra in June. 

During Malta’s silver-medal run, Ian Felice Pace averaged 3.5 points, 2.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game as Fenech opted to play through the young guard. Asked about the experience, he told Malta Basketball it was one he would cherish for the rest of his life.

“I mean, it’s quite surreal, it’s something you dream of, winning all competitions you take part in, including under 23s as well,” he explained. 

“It was also my last time (at U23 level), so it was even sweeter. But then, you know, you have to forget what you did throughout the season and focus on the national team. Because it’s a totally new experience, a new coach, and we didn’t know what to expect. I mean, four teams in the competition, we were going for gold full-on. It turned out how it turned out, but for me personally, it was my first time starting in the national team, and first time scoring. So, it was a dream come true for me. Andorra is going to live in my memory forever.”

Felice Pace returns to European competition soon, this time with Starlites, in the FIBA Europe Cup qualifiers in September. Felice Pace showed his excitement, saying it was “something you dream of as a kid”.

“I’m 23 years old and playing in Europe is something you dream of as a kid,” he remarked.

“Malta is mostly a football country, so (we’re used to) watching Champions League football all the time, and this is also a European competition, you know what I mean? 

“This is going to be, not just one step, but two steps up for us. We’ve looked at the list of possible teams we can play in the draws this week, and they’re tough, but we’re going to go out there, we’re going to give it our all, and we’re going to learn so much from this. 

“We’re such a young team. I mean, we have a saying between us on our team – we don’t take a loss, we learn: L is for learning not for losing, so we’re gonna give it our all and we see what happens. These teams are incredible so all we can do is learn from them and this experience.”

‘It’s time Maltese players taste European competition’ says Riolo ahead of Starlites FIBA Europe Cup draws

A few months before the first Maltese basketball club in 32 years makes its debut in European competition, Starlites BC, who will play under the name ‘VisitMalta Starlites’ are set to find out their opponents in the official FIBA Europe Cup draws on Friday.

The experience, highlighted as a ‘dream’ for Starlites is said to have been a plan on their minds for several years, and now, this ambition will become reality.

In a press conference on Tuesday, club president Ivan Riolo said that the challenge which stemmed from head coach Paul Ferrante was not yet confirmed until a few weeks ago, however, he explained that a sub-committee was formed to make all of this possible. 

“A few weeks ago, Starlites Basketball Club submitted its application to take part in qualifiers for the FIBA Europe Cup and this application was approved. In turn, after 32 years, Starlites Basketball Club will be participating in European competition,” the club president told the press conference.

“We are honoured because this is a new thing for us – the challenge is ambitious both financially and administratively. However, with effort from the club and this sub-committee, this experience will become a reality.

“We hope this will not be a one-off and our internal agreement is that we are going into this looking for a positive experience as we wish to carry this out for years to come in both the men’s and women’s categories.”

Meanwhile, head coach Ferrante said it will be a task which while difficult, could be made easier with support.

“We’ve been able to see what kind of teams we might face and most of them have more than eight foreigners on their roster. The more help we can get locally in order to bring along import players who can help our nucleus of local players, the better,” Ferrante said.

“We’ve just lost two important players – Matt (Attard) and Alec (Felice Pace) who are difficult to replace within the local sphere. We’ve made one signing in this regard which will be announced when the time comes. At the same time, we won’t have a limit on foreign players. 

“Do we have a chance to progress? That chance is small but whenever there is a competition with  a score, a game can be won or lost so we’re going into this with that mindset.”

Rewriting the history books

Riolo, who was part of the Luxol team of 1992 who faced Bulgarian side Slavia Sofia in the first round of qualifying for the same competition believes that just how he was lucky to experience such an event, it is now time for Maltese players to do the same.

Speaking to Malta Basketball, the Starlites supremo said that while it will be difficult, it’s a start.

“As a player, I’ve already experienced this – I remember 32 years ago, I was in the Luxol team that played against Slavia Sofia in this competition. I remember the immensely entertaining home game where we had lost by 15 points but it was an experience that I feel it’s time local talent should taste,” he said.

“Just as they do in other sports like football where they experience European competition every season, it’s time local basketball clubs – with the necessary support and planning – start to experience these competitions for the good of the local game and more importantly the players who have already been playing against each other for many years. 

“It’s an ambitious project but there’s always a start – we’ll take a feel and play for the future from there.”

Starlites haled a press conference ahead of the draws for this year's FIBA Europe Cup.
Starlites head coach Paul Ferrante speaks to the press conference on Tuesday. Photo: Stephen Christopher Vella

Also speaking at the press conference, Malta Basketball Association (MBA) president Paul Sultana showed his enthusiasm toward the move, giving the MBA’s blessing to Starlites and the rest of Malta’s clubs to take proactive measures for the improvement of Maltese basketball.

“On behalf of the MBA, I give my blessing to this initiative,” Sultana said, “this is a beautiful thing for Maltese basketball.”

“I’m sure that for Maltese players who have also played with the National team, this is something that they will look forward to as motivation and a good experience. We all know that the basketball played in these competitions is of a very high level so I hope these players will realise the need to keep on elevating their skills in order to compete.

“We wish Starlites the best for this competition while encouraging other clubs to take the step as well – it is something that will bring along added interest to the spectators of the sport.”

Starlites Women’s Team Involvement

Asked to expand further about whether this would stretch also the the club’s women’s team, Riolo said that was their target, however, it should be the ‘gift’ for players after a successful season.

“Our target is that whatever we introduce for our men’s team, we do so also for the women. For the women, the opportunity is there as well however, we don’t want to offer it just for the sake of it. It will be there for them if they are successful in their respective competitions just as the men did. This season was memorable as can be so as a gift, we decided to go into European competition. But of course, we want this to be something we do for the women as well every season.”

In a press release acquired by Malta Basketball, VisitMalta Chief Executive Officer, Carlo Micallef said: “Our goal at VisitMalta is to promote our Islands abroad through different initiatives that are finely targeted to reach the audience we wish to attract to Malta and Gozo as tourists. Sports has become an important vehicle with which we deliver our marketing message. We are proud to be supporting Starlites Basketball Club as they embark on this historic journey. We are committed to supporting their endeavours and are confident they will make Malta proud in the FIBA Europe Cup.”

Starlites set for historic attempt at FIBA Europe Cup qualifiers

Malta champions Starlites will attempt to make history this summer as last season’s quadruple winners try their luck in the 2024 FIBA Europe Cup qualifiers in July.

After winning every trophy available within the local basketball sphere, the Naxxar-based club is now taking the next step in becoming Malta’s representative in Europe. This feat makes them the first Maltese team to expand their horizons since Luxol around 35 years ago.

29 different clubs from 19 different countries have shown interest in playing in FIBA’s second-tier club competition, below the Basketball Champions League, and 15 of these teams have already made it to the Regular Season. A further 18 teams will join after falling from the Champions League Qualification rounds, together with other qualifiers to complete a list of 40. 

Starlites, who will start their adventure in the qualifying round from September 24 to 27, will be awaiting their opponent in a draw held on July 19 in Munich, Germany.

They will then face their respective opponent in a home and away setting, with naturally the home fixture to be played at Ta’ Qali. This is of course a welcomed change from previous years when qualifiers would be played in one city.

As an unseeded team in the round, they may be facing the likes of Cypriot side Anorthosis Famagusta, Bilbao Basket of Spain, French team JDA Bourgogne Dijon, Alba Fehervar from Hungary, BC Peja from Hungary, Portugal’s Sporting CP, and Ukrainian side BC Dnipro.

Were Starlites to progress, this would be a new chapter in Maltese basketball’s history books since the attempts made by Luxol, Hibernians and Athleta.