The Malta national basketball selections are gearing up for the end of a busy summer, with the Under-18 women’s team set to compete at the FIBA U18 Women’s EuroBasket Division C in Pristina, Kosovo, next week.

Following a triumphant gold-medal performance last year, where the Malta U18 women clinched the Division C trophy by defeating hosts Albania 56-47, the team is eager to show their skills and defend their title. Last year marked their first championship win since 2007, raising hopes for a repeat success in the 2024 edition of the tournament.

Malta will kick off their campaign in Group A against Cyprus on Tuesday, July 23 (tip-off: 2.30pm), followed by a crucial match against hosts Kosovo on Thursday, July 25 July (tip-off: 7.30pm). All fixtures will take place at the Tetori Sports Hall.

The tournament’s structure will include the first classification match and semi-finals on Saturday July 27 July, with the final matches slated for Sunday July 28.

Coach Roderick Vella has carefully selected a squad of 12 players for the tournament, who will depart for Kosovo on Sunday.

The team boasts an interesting line-up, featuring three sisters – Anna, Rebecca, and Sara Fenech Pace, adding a unique dynamic to the squad.

Assisting Vella are Caroline Schiavone and Matthew Borg, with Kevin Magro serving as the team’s fitness trainer.

Malta U18 Squad

Ylenia Ferrando, Philippa Riolo (all Starlites); Sarah Sciberras, Anna Fenech Pace, Michela Marmara, Rebecca Fenech Pace, Vanya Baldacchino, Jada Said, Gwen Carabott, Shanice Farrugia, Ella Abela, Sara Fenech Pace (all Luxol).

The Malta U-16 girls’ team is in the final stages of their preparations for the FIBA Women’s Under-16 Eurobasket Division C tournament.

This year, the team heads to Gibraltar to face hosts Gibraltar, Albania, and Moldova in the opening stages with hopes of passage to the final stages on a high.

Coach Roderick Vella has named a squad of 12 players, and the team will fly out to Gibraltar on Sunday. Vella, who led Luxol’s youth women’s squad this past season, was appointed Women’s Under-16 national team coach earlier this year. Now, they hope to emulate the success of the senior women’s team, who performed admirably at the FIBA Women’s European Championship for Small Countries in Kosovo last month.

Malta will begin their Group B schedule with a match against Albania on Tuesday, followed by a game against hosts Gibraltar on Wednesday. Their last group game is against Moldova on Thursday. The first classification matches and semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday, with the final games taking place on Sunday.

Coach Vella, assisted by Matthew Borg and Nadia Vella, has expressed confidence in the team’s readiness and potential to compete strongly in the tournament.

Malta Squad

• Ylenia Ferrando (Starlites)
• Claire Portelli (Depiro)
• Kristie Sammut (Depiro)
• Eve Axisa (Luxol)
• Rebecca Fenech Pace (Luxol)
• Kelly Magro (Luxol)
• Lara Micallef (Hibernians)
• Gwen Carabott (Luxol)
• Shanice Farrugia (Luxol)
• Samira Deguara (Depiro)
• Ylenia Mangion (Depiro)
• Hannah Casaletto (Depiro)

After the senior team‘s participation at the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries in Andorra, attention now turns to the U-16 boys’ team as they head to Albania to represent Malta in a FIBA Eurobasket tournament.

Coach Omar Said, who was appointed U-16 coach earlier in the year, has selected a squad of 12 players for the FIBA Under-16 Eurobasket Division C, which will take place in Albania from 9 to 14 July 2024.

Malta were pitted in Group A, facing Moldova, Albania, and Azerbaijan in the opening stages of the competition as they aim for a chance for gold.

Said’s clan will start their Group A commitments against Moldova on Tuesday, followed by matches against hosts Albania on Wednesday and Azerbaijan on Thursday. The first classification matches and semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday, with the final games set for Sunday.

The Malta coach, assisted by Miguel Falzon and Timothy Cutugno who will serve as the head of delegation, expressed confidence in the team’s preparations and their ability to compete at a high level.

Malta Squad

• Nicholas Zammit (Depiro)
• Eric Fenech Pace (Luxol)
• Kai Fabri (Starlites Naxxar)
• Steven Ransley (Starlites Naxxar)
• Alexander Zammit (Starlites Naxxar)
• Kyle Galea (Luxol)
• Zac Said Hollier (Starlites Naxxar)
• Krusmir Fabri (Gzira Athleta)
• Matthew Sammut (Depiro)
• Michelangelo Spiteri (Gzira Athleta)
• Giacomo Camilleri (Starlites Naxxar)
• Gregory Mizzi (Luxol)

MBA to look for alternative in U20 tournament

Malta will not have a men’s U18 representative team at this summer’s FIBA competitions, the Malta Basketball Association (MBA) has confirmed.

Speaking at a press conference to draw this season’s BOV Men’s Division One Knockout fixtures on Wednesday, MBA president Paul Sultana admitted the association would not field a male U-18 team for the annual summer FIBA tournament.

“Upon direction, the MBA has decided not to send an Under-18 boys team to the FIBA competitions this summer. Unfortunately, after last year’s results and this season’s league so far, we do not have a high enough level to compete,” Sultana said.

In August, Malta finished eighth at the FIBA U18 Division C European championships in Azerbaijan after struggling throughout the tournament. While they showed signs of improvement and eventually beat Gibraltar in overtime to avoid the wooden spoon, it was the only victory for the team.

Giving the association’s reasons, Sultana said the issue stems from the fact that over the past two years, with Malta having hosted both the men’s senior FIBA Small Countries Games and the Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE 2023), interest from youths has spiked. However, he lamented the fact that this interest has come mainly from teenagers around 14-15 years old who are now joining local clubs as beginner players.

“Unfortunately, even though we are pleased with the interest, we now have a lot of players in our Under-16 and 18 leagues who are still beginners, and this means they are far from ready to compete at national team level,” Sultana explained.

When asked about the way forward, the MBA supremo said the association is looking at an alternative tournament in which they could send a Malta team to compete. The focus he explained would be shifted onto a new Under-20 competition for which the association could amalgamate players from last year’s U-18s and up-and-coming players of the age group.

Coaching changes

This issue has not been reflected in the women’s side of the game as that department has remained at steady growth, particularly reaching its target with last summer’s Gold at the FIBA Games in Albania.

In August, the Malta women’s Under-18 side powered through their opposition to take the top spot after victory against the host nation in the final.

A significant factor in all this was the fact that the side coached by Giovanni Gebbia consisted of players with experience within senior leagues. For starters, tournament Most Valuable Player (MVP) Danika Galea is in her second season in Italy with Elite Basket Roma after several years playing with Depiro’s seniors. Fenech Pace trio Lisa, Sarah, and Anna are also mainstays in Santino Coppa’s Caffe Moak Luxol roster, together with Sarah Sciberras, Jada Said, and Ella Abela. Similarly, Starlites JSD’s Andie Saliba has enjoyed a bright start to the new season under new coach Fatih Dedelioglu.

Despite this success, the women’s U18s will change direction as part of the MBA’s strategic move to shift coaching positions to Maltese coaches. The women’s senior team has already made this switch with Charles Bonnici already announced as Angela Adamoli’s replacement.

On Wednesday, the MBA announced that Luxol youth coach Roderick Vella will be taking over the U16 and u18 women’s teams while last summer’s men’s national team assistant coach Omar Said will be leading the men’s U16s.