GABBA U14 Girls Academy Season Ends in Style

The inaugural Gibraltar Amateur Basketball Association (GABBA) U14 Girls Academy season come to a thrilling conclusion, capping off a year of development, competition, and memorable moments for Gibraltar’s young basketball players.
The season began in September, although the start of competitive action was delayed due to refurbishment works at the Tercentenary Sports Hall. Despite this setback, the Academy programme quickly got underway with a strong focus on fundamental skill development and player growth.
This season marked a significant milestone for youth basketball in Gibraltar, as players from different clubs came together under a single Academy structure. The new format enabled larger training groups, fostered new friendships, and allowed coaches to implement more advanced and varied training sessions than ever before.
Head Coach Andrew Teuma, supported by assistant coaches Gareth Balban and Lianne Whitefield, maintained an excellent coach-to-player ratio throughout the season. Occasional support from Emma Mansfield further strengthened the coaching team, ensuring players benefited from high-quality instruction and individual attention at every session.
Competitive basketball commenced in December with a FIBA 3x3 competition that ran through January. After several weeks of exciting action, Liberty Rocks emerged as champions. The winning team consisted of Erin Doherty, Alyssa Lavagna, Sophie Mor, and Eva Debono, who demonstrated excellent teamwork and skill throughout the tournament.
Following the conclusion of the 3x3 competition, attention turned to the Academy’s 5v5 league. Teams were carefully selected by the coaching staff to ensure a balanced and competitive championship, with all players given the opportunity to showcase their development.
At the conclusion of the regular season standings, Calpe Suns finished in first place, followed by Liberty Rocks in second, Europa Sky in third, and Med Fever in fourth.
The playoff semi-finals produced two highly competitive encounters. In the first semi-final, Calpe Suns faced Med Fever. While the result followed the regular season form guide, the game was anything but straightforward. Calpe Suns eventually secured a hard-fought 58-50 victory to book their place in the final.
The second semi-final produced the tournament’s first upset as third-placed Europa Sky defeated second-placed Liberty Rocks 57-47. The contest was overshadowed by an unfortunate injury to Liberty Rocks captain and talisman Breilla Bagu, who suffered an ankle sprain during the second quarter and was unable to continue.
The championship final, played on 2 June in front of a packed crowd, provided a fitting finale to an outstanding season.
Calpe Suns and Europa Sky delivered a contest that showcased the tremendous progress made by all Academy players throughout the year. In a game featuring 12 lead changes, neither team was able to establish a decisive advantage, keeping spectators enthralled from start to finish.
The closing stages of regulation time were particularly dramatic. With just over a minute remaining, Europa Sky’s Lilly Mauro converted a crucial three-pointer to tie the scores. Moments later, Gaby Lines put Europa Sky ahead with only 20 seconds left on the clock. However, Calpe Suns responded immediately through Sophie Mor, whose put-back basket with 10 seconds remaining levelled the game and forced overtime.
The extra period continued the theme of the evening. Europa Sky raced into an early four-point lead before Calpe Suns fought back to edge ahead 61-59. Yet, with the championship hanging in the balance, baskets from Ava Perez and Lilly Mauro swung momentum once more in Europa Sky’s favour. Their composure in the final minute secured a dramatic 64-61 victory and the Academy championship title.
Following the final, players, families, coaches, and supporters gathered for the Academy’s closing ceremony. During the event, trophies were presented to the winners of both the 3x3 and 5v5 competitions, celebrating the achievements of all participants throughout the season.
The Academy All-Star Five was also announced, recognising the players who consistently excelled throughout the campaign. The selected team featured Briella Bagu (Liberty Rocks), Erin Doherty (Med Fever), Lilly Mauro (Europa Sky), Chloe Balban (Calpe Suns), and Ava Perez (Europa Sky). - Source GABBA