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.
“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.”
