Category: Malta Basketball

Depiro sign Luca Stefanovic

Days after announcing the signing of former Mellieha Libertas captain David Bugeja, Depiro have made their second announcement, confirming Athleta guard Luca Stefanovic to their roster ahead of the coming season.

“We’re excited to welcome Luca Stefanovic to the Depiro family,” a club statement read on Monday.

“Luca has represented Malta in U16, U19, and U20 Division B tournaments, even earning a Gold medal with the U16 team. He has also earned various individual awards across different local basketball categories throughout his career. Welcome to Depiro, Luca!”

This comes as a strategic transfer for the club as they brought in a player with time left on his Athleta contract with the move having been agreed between the two clubs and the player earlier on this month, subject to a medical.

With all of that in place, the signing was confirmed as sources tell Malta Basketball that he will replace Andrew Aquilina who seems set to join another Division One side this summer.

Together with Bugeja, Stefanovic is the second confirmed Depiro player for the season with sources telling Malta Basketball that import guard Cameron Cornelius could be heading for yet another season in Malta with the Mtarfa club. However, the latter has not been confirmed yet.

Stefanovic joins new coach Sasha Dimitrijevic‘s side after a number of years at Athleta where he became one of the crucial players on the roster. Last season, the team returned to the playoffs under coach Christos Kousidis, who has now joined Hibernians, as the league’s third seed ahead of Depiro. Despite his role in the team, Athleta’s move for Robert Vitale and Isaac Bonett made the transfer easier as Stefanovic was allowed to leave the Gzira club.

Last season, Stefanovic averaged 9.3 points per game across all competitions, assisting 1.6 baskets a game in the process.

David Bugeja retires from national team

Malta captain David Bugeja has decided to finish his national team career, confirming this with a statement on his socials on Friday.

“Last month’s small nations tournament in Andorra marked my final bow as a basketball player representing Malta,” Bugeja wrote. 

“Although my farewell wasn’t quite as I imagined, with us finishing second for the third consecutive tournament, it’s always been an honour to wear the Maltese colours alongside my teammates.”

Bugeja was part of coach Duncan Fenech’s roster for this summer’s FIBA European Small Countries Championships, in which Malta fell to hosts Andorra with a full-time score of 84-79 in the final. 

The former Mellieha Libertas guard averaged 13.2 points per game for Malta as a starter in all five games of the team’s campaign.

The 32-year-old now ends a national team stint which includes gold-medal winning stories. Bugeja said that despite remaining on home soil for the entirety of his club career, this did not stop him from playing at such a high level.

“Since I was 15, I’ve poured my heart and soul into training to compete at the highest level,” he said. 

Bugeja to join Depiro after Mellieha departure

“Even though I’ve always played for clubs in Malta and didn’t go abroad to play professionally, I always felt on par with my teammates who play professionally abroad, earning every minute and proving it on the court. 

“I am incredibly proud to have been part of the men’s Under-18 team and men’s senior team that won the first-ever gold medal, contributing to making Maltese basketball history!”

Depiro confirm Bugeja signing

This announcement comes as part of another change in Bugeja’s career with Depiro officially presenting the signing of the guard ahead of the new season on Friday, confirming Malta Basketball’s previous report earlier this month.

“We’re thrilled to announce the latest addition to our Senior Men’s Team: David Bugeja,” a club statement read.

“David started his Basketball Career with Depiro Nursery. He plays as a Shooting Guard and has represented Malta for the past 16 years, whilst also being trusted with the captaincy of the country’s national team for a number of years. Welcome back home, David!”

Meanwhile, commenting on the move, Bugeja said the move will “complete my full circle as a player”.

“I’m excited to return to my childhood team, Depiro and complete my full circle as a player,” he said. 

“(I’m) super eager to wear the blue and gold kits for the next couple of seasons, once again giving my all to contribute to the club. I want to thank my family and close friends for their unwavering support, allowing me to train, represent Malta, and sometimes skip family dinners for basketball! 

“I’ll always be cheering on my teammates from the sidelines, proudly wearing the white and red shirt.

“Looking forward to giving my all next season and coaching the next generation of ballers.”

Malta’s Women U18s set for FIBA EuroBasket Division C Tournament

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).

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.”

Athleta set for ex-mellieha duo signing

After Mellieha Libertas’ decision to opt out of Division 1 this summer, most of the club’s senior team players appear to be confirmed or close to signing with new clubs as league rivals swoop in for new acquisitions.

Last season’s regular season third-place finishers Athleta are heading towards what seems to be a double swoop to sign Isaac Bonett and Robert Vitale (Bonnici), sources have told Malta Basketball.

Bonett, who joined Mellieha back in 2020 from Hibernians, became an established name among the Libertas community as a player and youth coach at the club. Last season, Mellieha played in all but the Knockout final and Bonett was a starter for 18 of those games. Throughout these performances, he averaged 6.2 points, 3.6 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game across all competitions as Mellieha led the BOV Division One for most of the regular season.

Meanwhile, Vitale leaves Mellieha after a two-year stint following a long run at Starlites. Along with Bonett, Vitale was part of former coach Christian Narciso’s Louis Borg Cup-winning squad. Last season, the 30-year-old was generally used off the bench but was a crucial part of Ian Terribile’s rotation. In fact, he finished the season with an average of 26.9 points, 3.7 assists, and 7.0 rebounds a game. Known as a consistent shooter, Vitale completed his final Mellieha campaign with a 42.2% FG percentage.

While Athleta are yet to make an official announcement, all signs point towards the former Mellieha duo becoming the club’s top local signings for the summer. This would mean that the Gzira-based club would be bringing in a shooter and a playmaker to their squad now led by coach Sandro Farrugia, who was announced earlier last month.

The pair will provide cover for newly departed Matthew Gouder, who joined Hibernians, and what seems to be the imminent transfer of Luca Stefanovic who is said to have agreed terms with another Division One club.

Malta Ballers place third in Torino Cup

Malta Ballers – a team of Malta-based Filipino players shined as they won third place at the inaugural edition of the Torino Cup last week.

The Torino Cup, a tournament bringing together eight teams consisting of Filipino players was originally introduced for teams based in Italy, but the Maltese team managed to participate as the only non-Italy-based team in the tournament on Sunday.

The Malta Ballersplaced third at the Torino Cup.
Malta Ballers placed third in the inaugural edition of the Torino Cup.

Taking part were Trese Hudas and SHC One from Turin, eventual winners 22 Marzo and Yolo representing Milan, Darat Boys of Bologna and Reggio Emilia.

Participation was just the first thing on the Malta Ballers’ agenda as they pushed past their opposition throughout the one-day tournament, only missing out on a place in the final with defeat in the semis against Reggio Emilia.

The Malta Ballers team brought together a set of players led by Jhun Jhun Lisondra, who was on the books of BOV Division One side Valletta Fighters last season.

The organising team of the Torino Cup.

Lisondra showed his mettle to win Player of the Game twice throughout the season, with Keith Soi Micaller also bagging the accolade once himself.

Speaking to Malta Basketball, the team expressed its appreciation towards the Torino Cup organisers, praising the fact that even in its first edition, teams were allowed to take part without paying for registration and the top three teams were given cash prizes.

MALTA BALLERS ROSTER

Jhunjhun Lisondra, El Jan Gargueña, Bonito Basa, Keith Soi Micaller, Tristan Mendoza, Neil Marco Hilario Madla, Lawrence Layug, John Bryan Virtucio, Dave Constantino, Sean Andrei Mendoza.

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. 

Bugeja to join Depiro after Mellieha departure

New Depiro coach Sasha Dimitrijevic will begin his stint at the club with a well-sought-after boost as former Mellieha Libertas and Hibernians guard David Bugeja is set to become a new Depiro player, sources have told Malta Basketball. 

Bugeja had led Libertas for the past few years but with the Northern club opting against participating in the BOV Division One this coming season, numerous players became free agents and Depiro have swooped in to secure the signature of the Malta captain.

Last season, Bugeja was Mellieha’s driving force on the court as a starter in every game he played, acting as coach Ian Terribile’s extension at most times. He averaged 10.7 points a game across all competitions with shooting numbers close to 50% as he led the team to the finals of the John Tabone Shield and the league after the Super Cup. 

Following that, Bugeja was part of the Malta national team for the Fiba European Small Countries Championship in Andorra. There, Bugeja continued his strong form to start each game under coach Duncan Fenech and average 13.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. 

Depiro will be hoping such a signing propels them to further improvements this coming season after making the playoffs last season as the fourth seed under coach Ruben Baldacchino. While Bugeja and Mellieha qualified for the finals with a clean sweep over Athleta, Depiro suffered a sweep themselves at the hands of eventual champions Starlites. 

With a new coach and the signing of Bugeja, one will be looking forward to observing what change this will provide for the Mtarfa club.