JAVI FELICE HITS SEASON HIGH (Basketball)

In a weekend when GABBA teams playing in the Cadiz League won 4 of their 5 matches - the most significant one being the Under 16 Girls bringing to an end the leaders’ unbeaten record - Javi Felice helped himself to 34 points, the highest individual tally by any GABBA player this season, in the Under 18’s massive win which takes them a step nearer the quarter finals.

FULL RESULTS

JUNIORS (Under 18), GABBA 87 (Felice 34, Lee Davis 15, Javi Andrews 12, Kingsley Sylvester 12) - CD Xerez 36 [30-10; 13-12; 22-8; 22-6].

Coach Abdul Afrah’s boys responded to the opening basket by Xerez with a 23-0 blitz in 6 minutes. The visitors, apart from an evenly contested second quarter, were clinically destroyed by a team which seems to have dealt positively with the lack of discipline and frustrations which seemed to be their hallmark not so long ago. It is worth noting that Javi Felice scored his 34 points, which included 4 three-pointers, in 25 minutes on court.

The team is currently in 1st position in the Group of 6, with 5 wins, and 4 matches to play - 3 of these away - and will go through to the Quarter-finals if they finish 1st.

CADETS (Under 16), GABBA 73 (Shae Felice 19, Jaylan Pareja 13, Jake Canepa 10) - Gymnastica Portuense 30 [21-11; 12-4; 20-2; 20-13].

GABBA were erratic for most of the first quarter, 9-11 down with three minutes to play, but got their act together to reel off a 12-0 run and it was plain sailing from then on, as Coach Tim Azopardi gave all of his players a good run.

The team is currently joint 1st in a Group of 7, with a 4-1 record, and play joint leaders Puerto Real this coming weekend, however, favourite to win the Group and qualify for the Quarter-finals is the outstanding team from Ceuta, Camoens, unbeaten to date. Still, there are a lot of matches to be played.

CADETTES (Under 16 Girls), GABBA 62 (Daniela Martinez 25, Erin Doherty 12, Briella Bagu 11) - ADESA 56 [20-15; 13-12; 16-11; 13-18]; played in La Linea.

ADESA, one of the clubs that opted not to play in Gibraltar, were the only team to beat Coach Kira Ruiz Afrah’s girls, who travelled to Sanlucar de Barrameda the weekend before Christmas with a very depleted team and lost by 15 points. It was a question of now trying to reverse that losing margin in order to win the head-to-head and they came so close.
GABBA overcame a shaky start (9-13 down after 6 minutes) to lead by 5 at the end of the first quarter, and increased this to 12 after 3 minutes of the second quarter, but ADESA halved that by half-time. A 10-0 run early in the second-half raised hopes as the scoreboard showed us up by 14 (45-31), but the visitors held on and the last quarter started with GABBA 49-38 up. It was 56-43 with 5 to play, but ADESA is a tough side and reduced the difference to an alarming 59-56, before our girls cliched the win. A brave effort in a pulsating match, and a first defeat for ADESA.

This result leaves the team in 2nd place in a Group of 7, with a 9-1 record, and 2 away matches left, against teams they beat by 30 points in TSH so, barring a debacle, they have made the Quarter-finals.

INFANTIL (Under 14 Boys), GABBA 33 (Max De Haro 17) - Cimbis 57 [4-21; 9-10; 4-18; 16-8].

Clearly outplayed, 12-0 down after just 3 minutes, the boys finished well, winning the last quarter.

This team won their Group in the First Phase, qualifying them to play with the winners of the other 7 Groups in the Second Phase. They are finding it hard, particularly as they have been without their top player in the last 4 matches, and they are currently 7th with a 1-4 record. There are still 9 matches left and, even though their position is precarious, if Coach Victor Carrasco has a full team, I feel they can scrape into the top 4 and, with it, a Quarter-final place.

INFANTIL (Under 14 Girls), CABU Ubrique 38 - GABBA 49 (Briella Bagu 25, Lily Mauro 11); [8-17; 14-11; 6-10; 10-11].

Coach Andrew Teuma’s talented girls enjoyed a good first quarter but CABU got on top in the second, coming within 3 points (22-25) 2 minutes from half-time. It was still close (26-30) midway through the third quarter but GABBA regained control of play to start the last quarter 10 ahead. Lily Mauro sank two 3’s in the first minute to give the team a good cushion and pave the way for a win.

This was the first match of the second round in a Group of 9, from which the top 4 qualify for the Quarter-finals. They are currently 3rd with a 7-2 record, and play unbeaten leaders Chiclana Ituci on Sunday at 11:00 am in the TSH. Your support would be appreciated.