Malta centers Sam Deguara and Kurt Cassar enjoyed double-digit games over the weekend as both their teams celebrated wins in Japan and Italy respectively. The Times of Malta Sportsdesk looks at Deguara, Cassar, and other Maltese professionals plying their trade overseas in another segment of ‘Maltese Abroad’.
JAPAN
Tokyo Excellence beat the Kanazawa Samuraiz twice in their back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday. Center Sam Deguara scored double digits from the bench on both occasions.
In the side’s first game against Kanazawa (123-93 win), Deguara got a double-double, scoring 33 (88.9% FG) and grabbing 14 boards.
The next day (106-85 win), he scored another 29 points (92.9% FG) and got nine rebounds.
Tokyo Excellence’s next set of games take place this weekend as they face the Iwate Big Bulls on Saturday and Sunday.
ITALY
Kurt Cassar strengthened his argument to retain his starting role as he scored ten points in 12 minutes for Janus Fabriano in their last game, a 78-55 win against Rossella Virtus Civitanova Marche on Sunday. He also got three rebounds.
Cassar will be working on keeping up his stats as this was his second consecutive start for the team he joined during the winter transfer period.
Janus Fabriano face JESI in the next game on Sunday. (Tip-off: 6PM)
USA
Kristy Galea scored five and grabbed three boards in the Alderson Broaddus Battlers’ latest outing, a 81-56 loss to Notre Dame College.
The Malta guard started the game and played 31 minutes.
The Battlers play West Liberty on Wednesday (Tip-off: 5PM USA/ 11PM Malta) and Saturday against Fairmont State (Tip-off: 2PM USA/ 8PM Malta)
Otero’s Sophie Abela will have to wait till Friday after the team’s last two games were cancelled. Otero play on Friday against Trinidad State Junior College.
UK
Aaron Falzon and the Leicester Riders saw mixed emotion in last week’s games – a 76-71 loss to the London Lions in the BBL Trophy on Thursday, and a 107-93 win over the Sheffield Sharks on Sunday.
In the Cup game, Falzon played around 11 minutes but only managed two points, one rebound, and one assist.
On Sunday against the Sharks, Falzon scored five, grabbed two boards, and made a block within around eight minutes on court.
The Riders face the Newcastle Eagles on Wednesday (Tip-off: 6PM UK/ 7PM Malta).
Fellow Rider Sasha Lecuyer’s Loughborough Riders saw their last game also cancelled and will have to wait until February 27 to play their next game against COLA Southwark Pride.
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