In a summer transfer coup, Hibernians secured another set of signings, this time for the women’s team, on Tuesday when they announced Steffi De Martino, Maria Bonett, and Andie Saliba to their roster.
In a short statement on the club’s socials, Hibs expressed their enthusiasm for the three players’ move.
“We are excited to officially welcome Steffi De Martino, Maria Bonett & Andie Saliba to Hibernians!” The statement read.
“These dynamic players are bringing their exceptional skills, passion, and dedication to our team, and we can’t wait to see them team up with our players and shine on the court.”
This upgrade to new coach Winnie Buhagiar’s squad means they now have one of the MAPFRE MSV Life Women’s League’s top scorers in De Martino, a defensive powerhouse in Bonett and a speedy, young guard in Saliba to add to their nucleus.
While it is still to be understood how Hibs will utilise these three players it will surely be a boost on the court for the Paolites who suffered these past few seasons, with a chance of a playoff run looking more likely this coming season.
While Saliba remains available for the team’s Under-23 side, De Martino and Bonett will be banking on their experience both in the league as well as Malta National team players. The pair were part of Charles Bonnici’s squad that finished with a silver medal at the FIBA European Small Countries Championships in June.
In Kosovo, De Martino started all of Malta’s games, averaging 16.2 points per game as one of the team’s best players with a tournament-high of 30 points against Georgia in the group stages. She added a 5.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists average.
Bonett was one of the lesser-used players on the Malta side but was an essential element for the team particularly on defence inside the paint.
This move comes after a somewhat disappointing season for Starlites as the then-title holders were unable to retain their crown despite leading the regular season for most of the campaign. Finishing second below Depiro, the team led by coach Fatih Dedelioglu fell to eventual champions Caffe Moak Luxol in the playoff semifinals to end the season with one trophy – the Super Cup.
With the Naxxar side losing such a trio, questions might arise as to whether this spells a new era for Starlites, or if will it be trouble for the team ahead of next season. Malta Basketball hears it could also be the end of Dedelioglu’s run as coach of the women’s team with former Malta men’s international Peter Shoults said to be a frontrunner for the job.
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