Category: Maltese Abroad

Jacob Formosa extends Perth Redbacks gig

Malta international Jacob Formosa has extended his experience at NBL1 side Perth Redbacks for yet another season, the Australian club announced.

Formosa, who played for the Malta national team numerous times throughout the years joined the Redbacks after further NBL1 stints with the Joondalup Wolves and the Eastern Suns.  

“Jacob Formosa will be back in The Web for 2025, his third year for the North Perth Community Bank Branch Perth Redbacks,” a club statement read.

Formosa, who averaged around 18 minutes on court per game in the 2024 season, shot 5.2 points per game, 2.7 rebounds, and finished the season fourth in team assists with 2.1 per game. However, the highlight cause to the team’s insistence on his extension is said to be “his stability and leadership in a year with a significant team injury toll.”

“Jake is becoming a heart and soul guy for us,” Redbacks coach Charles Nix said. 

“He has been a massive part of our program for the last two seasons and really stepped up last year while we managed a bunch of injuries. Everyone has noted his huge emphasis on leadership and desire to impact on our culture positively, as well as some real consistency and confidence in his play.”

The Redbacks will be hoping this extension would inspire a better run in the 2025 season. Last season, Perth finished in the elimination stage of the postseason, falling to Lakeside Lightning after a 14th-place ending to the regular season. 

Tomasi joins Hong Kong side Chun Lung WTS

Forward Joshua Tomasi joins the list of Maltese internationals to play in Asia as he has now joined newly-promoted Hong Kong A1 League (HKA1) side Chun Lung WTS, Malta Basketball can confirm. 

The Maltese abroad joined the team in search of another overseas gig after joining Maltese Division One side Depiro over the summer in a blockbuster signing. In spite of this, Tomasi’s Maltese adventure lasted a few months he departed the club after last season’s John Tabone Shield to pursue a move to Spain.

This again was temporary as he returned to Australia to join the Casey Cavaliers until the rest of the NBL1 season. There he averaged 6.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game with the Cavaliers.

In Malta, he averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists in two John Tabone Shield games.

Now he joins the Hong Kong-based side as the team’s only import. Speaking to Malta Basketball, Tomasi said he felt honoured to have such an opportunity.

Joshua Tomasi with his new teammates.
Joshua Tomasi (seventh from left) with his new teammates. Photo | Chun Lung WTS.

“There are big expectations but also a big opportunity and compensation that comes with it,” he said. 

“I’m very grateful for it – the first time in my career to be playing a role such as this. I’m the only import as it’s one import per team in the first division here.”

Tomasi has already made his official debut on Wednesday as the team faced Eagles BC in a game in which both teams went to overtime before the latter took the game 88-86.

Since 2021, the HKA1 season has been held between September and April, with the offseason taking place from May to August. 

Tomasi’s younger brother Domenic is currently following in his footsteps in Malta after joining Depiro over the summer.

Sophie Abela signs for Isla Bonita

Women’s Super Cup winner Sophie Abela is once again a Maltese abroad with her move to Spanish side CD Isla Bonita, the club has officially confirmed.

“Introducing Sophie Abela, a Malta natural player who started playing basketball when she was five years old,” a club statement read.

“(Abela) Graduated from the University of Colorado with a Bachelor in Business and Sports Management. Returning to Malta she played at Depiro club for a year and this year joins our Isla Bonita family for this new season 24/25. Welcome Sophie to your new home!”

Abela, who was on the books of Depiro until a few days ago, returns overseas after her time in the USA playing college ball in Colorado. 

Last season, she was part of a Depiro team which made it to the playoff finals, losing to the eventual champions Caffe Moak Luxol in Game Five. However, Abela lifted the KnockOut trophy earlier on in March. Abela was also part of coach Charlie Bonnici’s Malta national team over the summer at the FIBA Small Countries Games, in which Malta finished second place, as well as the Malta Women’s 3×3 team in the Fiba Europe Cup qualifiers. 

Now she moves to an Isla Bonita side that has already played their first two encounters of the new season, beating Gran Canaria 81-67 in their latest game, one which featured the Abela.

Isla Bonita are part of the Primera División Nacional Femenina, which is the top regional league in the Canary Islands. This league represents a significant level of women’s basketball in Spain, with teams often aspiring to reach higher national competitions like Liga Femenina 2. The team is associated with the Roque Idafe project and is based on the island of La Palma.

Tigers BT complete Matthew Brown signing

After confirming Lebanese duo Serge Hamparsoumian and Michel Jalkh to their squad for the coming season, new BOV Division One side Tigers Basketball have signed US Import Matthew Brown.

Brown, a 6’6 forward, will be joining the team after his time in the East Coast Basketball League (ECBL) with the SC Letitfly Webdogs after his college career in the NCAA Division Two at the Anderson Trojans and earlier with high school team The Spartanburg Day Griffins where he shared the court with now NBA star Zion Williamson.

In August, it was the player himself who announced he would be signing with a Maltese club on his socials, initially mentioning Valletta BC as the team he would be playing for in Malta. However, now the team is confirmed as the Citizens’ partner club as he joins the debutants this coming October.

Valletta trio makes switch to Tigers

Meanwhile, three players have made the switch from Valletta BC to the Tigers this summer. Daniel Massa, Daniele Militello, and Telmanovic ‘Sasha’ Saakian will all be on the books of the debutants for the coming campaign.

Massa had joined the citizens late in the 23/24 season and played just one game under Harry Savaya where he scored four points, and made two assists and another two rebounds in a defeat to Athleta. He now joins his new team in search of a full season in Division One.

Militello and Saakian both started last season at Valletta. While Militello was a fringe player at the Capital club, Saakian played 13 games across all competitions for the side.

The Russian forward averaged six points, 10.3 rebounds, and two assists a game for Valletta and will surely be bringing well-needed experience to the side.

Sam Deguara joins Macau Black Bears

Malta international centre Samuel Deguara embarks on his latest Asian move as he joins the Macau Black Bears in the Asian Tournament, the club has confirmed.

This will be Deguara’s second experience within the league after his time with the Taiwan Mustangs, having been joined by former NBA stars Dwight Howard, Quinn Cook, and Demarcus Cousins last season.

Throughout the last campaign, Deguara put on outstanding displays, being named in the top player of the game charts several times. Now he moves to Macau to join the Black Bears who will be looking to push for a playoff run after finishing fifth last season and just missing the post-season.

Earlier on this summer, Deguara was part of the Malta National team again for this year’s FIBA Small Countries Championships where the team led by coach Duncan Fenech took home the silver medal.

At these games, Deguara sat for the opening fixture after having arrived at the last minute due to club commitments in Taiwan. However, he was a crucial part of the next four games which saw Malta head to the final. Deguara put up a 22 points-per-game average with 13.3 rebounds and an assist in between.

This will be Deguara’s 14 country of play in a career which has helped him travel the world while representing Malta as the current tallest active player in the world at 7’7.

Tevin Falzon named Lakers coaching associate 

Former Malta international Tevin Falzon will be taking the next step in his basketball career, this time, away from being one of the five on court but as part of the coaching staff, and where other than the NBA. 

On Sunday, Falzon announced he will be joining the Los Angeles Lakers as a coaching associate for the coming season. This means he will be calling time on his playing career to join Lakers head coach JJ Reddick’s staff as they head into another NBA season.

The 32-year-old, born in Massachusetts opted to stay put in the US this summer when Malta played their annual commitments in the FIBA Small Countries Championships, with signs now pointing to his preparation for the new role in the world’s highest-ranked league, home to star-studded rosters like that of the Lakers.

Confirming the move on his socials, Falzon will now be using his experience playing at various European clubs to assist Reddick in handling responsibilities such as coordinating offensive strategies, defensive schemes, player development and various other tasks for the team led by LeBron James.

The Lakers finished the 2023-2024 NBA season in seventh place in the Western Conference. They had a record of 47-35 and made it to the playoffs where they were eliminated in the first round by the Golden State Warriors in six games.

This is the first time a Maltese person has ever been directly involved with the NBA in any capacity, Falzon making history with this appointment.

Falzon last played in Spain with Fundación Globalcaja La Roda where he joined in January for the second part of the season. The Spanish Tercera FEB club had referred to him as a ‘luxury reinforcement’ with a great outside shot. Falzon went on to play 10 games before the season’s end.

Nelly Lee Pace commits to Benedictine University Mesa

Maltese youngster Nelly Lee Pace will be continuing his American experience at college level this coming season after committing to NAIA side Benedictine University Mesa on a basketball scholarship.

This move, confirmed by NextUpRecruitment on Saturday, takes Pace back to the US after his time at Ascending Life Prep school last season. The former Depiro and Mellieha Libertas player however will be crediting his longer spell in the UK at Sheffield College as the biggest contributor to him securing what Malta Basketball can confirm was the winner of six offers the guard had received.

At Arizona-based Ascending Life, where he joined after three years in Sheffield, Pace spent six months in the National Basketball and College Preparatory Boarding Program.

Now Pace will be heading back to Arizona to play in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC), considered the highest NAIA league, with the BenU Redhawks under headcoach Frank Woodford. 

When reached out to by Malta Basketball, Pace said his goal for the new season was to win games.

“For anyone that knows me knows that since I was a little kid, it was my wish to play collegiate basketball in the United States, but unfortunately in Malta, we’re told it’s impossible and not worth it,” Pace said. 

“For me to defy those odds it truly means a lot, also the fact I have made numerous sacrifices – this is my fifth consecutive year being away from my family in the winter. 

“Coming in as a freshman at BenU, my goal is to help Coach win games – simple. I truly believe I can be helpful this upcoming season which will be a great start going into my Junior year and so on. 

“For any Maltese athlete of any sport, please keep your head high and don’t listen to anyone as the only person that knows what is best for you, is you.”

Aaron Falzon returns to France as BesAC’s ‘missing piece to the puzzle’

After a stint in the Japan B3 League with Tachikawa Dice, Malta international forward Aaron Falzon is set for a return to France to join NM1 side Besançon Basket on a one-year contract, the club confirmed on Wednesday.

Calling him the “piece that was missing to complete the puzzle of the BesAC 2024-2025 squad”, the club said in a statement that Falzon had ticked most boxes in their search for a new player ahead of the coming season.

“Laurent Kleefstra and the recruitment team eventually found this final piece, in the ‘four’ position, after exploring a very large number of leads,” the statement read.

“The coach was attached to a certain interior profile that was particularly able to respond to his defensive philosophy, but also in attack that could deviate from the circle and be effective behind the line at three-pointers.”

This is the third time Falzon will play in France after a short stint in his rookie season as a professional player with Etoile Angers, and more recently with Mulhouse following stints in the UK with the Leicester Riders and in Austria with the Arkadia Traiskirchen Lions. 

BesAC said they had gotten ‘excellent information’ about Falzon from former Mulhouse coach Lauriane Dolt, facilitating the decision to go with Falzon as their new forward.

Last season, Falzon was plying his trade in Japan where he averaged 10.7 points from a 52.9FG%, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game in 39 games played.

Following that, negotiations began for his next move which will now bring him back to Europe. The club said Falzon would be heading to Geneva on August 7 and would meet his new teammates the next day to “blend in as soon as possible” in the season’s preparation.

With the signing of Falzon and other players already announced by the club in recent days, the team will be working towards improving on a troubled campaign last season where they finished in the penultimate spot of Group B in NM1 with a record of 7-19 after the 26 games of the league campaign.

Kurt Cassar extends Rieti contract

Malta international centre Kurt Cassar has extended his stay with NPC Rieti, the club has announced. This means Cassar will remain in the Italian Serie B for yet another season, sticking with the Lazio-based club for a second season after having joined last July.

In a short club statement, NPC Rieti showed their enthusiasm towards Cassar’s extension.

“Kurt Cassar and NPC Riet, together again,” the statement read, “Kurt Cassar will wear the amarantoceleste shirt again for the season 2024-2025!”

Speaking to the club’s social media the Malta centre rallied for an improved season after a rough previous season.

“I am glad to be able to continue this project with the NPC Rieti,” he said.

“There is a great desire to improve on last season, both for the fans and for us players, it was absolutely not easy. Staying united and acting as a team throughout the year will be very important.”

Last season, Rieti finished in the 16th spot of the Serie B Nazionale Girone A. Cassar closed the regular season shooting 25% from three-point range, 53% from two-point range and 77% at the line. He averaged 11.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and one assist per game.

Following the end of the club season, Cassar was again with the Malta National Team to play under coach Duncan Fenech at the FIBA European Small Countries Championships in Andorra.

In a silver-medal finish for Malta, Cassar averaged 11 points on 47FG%, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game as a starter in all of Malta’s fixtures.

Cassar was NPC Rieti’s second confirmed extension of the summer after the club announced the stay of Mattia Melchiorri earlier on in the day.

Felice Pace set to join Recklinghausen in German Regionalliga 1 West

Starlites captain Alec Felice Pace is set to become the next Maltese abroad after putting pen to paper on a deal with German Regionalliga 1 West side Citybasket Recklinghausen in the coming days.

The Malta international guard who has been one of the biggest names in Maltese basketball these past few years, will now be trying his luck overseas in Germany’s fourth tier on a professional contract. Sources close to negotiations have told Malta Basketball that the 26-year-old should be flying out to complete his move next week.

Felice Pace takes with him the momentum of having lifted four domestic trophies last season. Throughout the campaign in which he played 22 games, he averaged 16.2 points a game across all local competitions as Starlites completed a historic quadruple under coach Paul Ferrante. 

The speedy guard who is a nightmare for the opposition on fastbreaks was also a leading assist-maker for Starlites, averaging 5.2 per game. On defence, he grabbed 8.9 rebounds while stealing the ball twice per game.

Now he heads to a Recklinghausen side which will be hoping for better fortune this coming season after a troubled campaign in the league, finishing in the penultimate spot of the standings with an 8-16 record. 

Sticking with the white kit as was the case at Starlites, Felice Pace will be aiming to provide enough value to convince coach Dhnesch Kubendrarajah as he now competes for a position in the starting five with current point guard Niklas Meesmann who was last season’s most utilised player on the roster.

This move spells further transfer planning for Starlites coach Ferrante ahead of the club’s journey into FIBA Europe Cup qualifying, with fellow guard Matt Attard also leaving the club earlier this month. While both club and player would have preferred the move happening after the qualifiers, club sources emphasised that Starlites would in no way hinder such an opportunity for its players.