The First Malta Masters Basketball Tournament is now over. The end of September has seen three very hectic days. For the first time in Maltese Basketball history a competitive tournament for veteran players was held. Many of Malta’s ex-star players such as Paul Sultana, Ivan Riolo, Silvio Cassar and Jeremy Gambin participated in the respective teams. We saw some fine basketball produced by the local ex-stars and foreign team players from London.
A friendly, yet competitive atmosphere prevailed during the games and one could also feel the social aspect during the games which was the hallmark of the tournament.
Six teams took part in the tournament. Three local teams, one team representing the Maltese Serbian Community and a team from the United Kingdom. (See the names in the gallery). The first place was taken by once very popular Maltese basketball players gathered in a team called ‘’Tal- Ajkla’’.
The tournament showed great unity which sport brings amongst us. As observers and future partners a GB Masters delegation, present for the tournament, had a lot of nice words for Peter and me as organisers of the event and pledged to help us in the future.
Malta Masters Tournament was enjoyed by all of us and the idea of having a local senior league which would lead to better preparedness for next year’s tournament was born. It would be fully supported by the Ministry for Youth, Sport and Research and the MBA led by Hon. Dr Stefan Buontempo and Mr Paul Sultana respectively.
All the above would not have been possible without our sponsors, who understood the value of sport, friendship and need to help people in need and they generously supported this cause by contributing financially. I have no words to thank them. As we promised with the help of our sponsors we collected a handsome amount which will be donated to the Maltese Community Chest Fund. At the end I would like to thank you all for making this event a success.
I must first thank the teams, because without them and their enthusiasm as well as their love for basketball the First Maltese Masters Tournament would have been a flop.
Big, big thank you goes to our unselfish, open minded and undemanding sponsors who went out their way to support our idea and help promote sport as healthy living.
The last but not the least, big thank you to the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sport and Research and Hon. Dr Buentempo who immediately recognised the importance of such events in creating friendship and better life through sport. It was the pillar of the whole event through their continuous availability. Even out of their normal working hours.
I must not forget the ‘’big link’’ Mr Amaira who meticulously kept our communications in order and Mr Dermot Galea who in front of our partner Malta Sports Council as facility manager made sure that everything was in order.
And at the end I wish to say big thank you to my fellow player Peter Perotti. Without his dedication and immaculate organising ability I would have been completely lost. I hope that next year we will be more successful and that we will see more participants as well as spectators.
So, I would like to invite you to join us in large numbers. Please spread the word and invite your friends from around the world to be part of the Maltese Basketball Family!!
See you next year!
Yours sincerely,
Pedja
