Bupa Luxol 78 Starlites GIG 69
(16-14, 24-22, 20-18, 18-15)
Starlites are proving to be a happy hunting ground for Luxol, this being their sixth straight victory over them. The Violets now have three wins in five match, whilst Starlites are still looking for their opening league victory, after four games. Luxol recovered William Ahlberg, back from abroad, and also included Jamie Melillo, but Stefan Cappello is unavailable for the rest of the season, being abroad for a long period of time. Starlites were without Isaac Pace.
Luxol's opening hoop was followed by a spate of Mitchell Brewe free shots, for Starlites. Luxol then made up an 11-2 run, as Keith Dimech netted a trey. The play was shared later on, as Brewe netted nearly all the points for his side. In the second period Stralites were level, but Luxol put in an 8-2 run, with Dimech and Ahlberg triples. Mitchell was a thorn in Luxol's defence throughout the whole encounter, piling up a creditable tally. JP Schembri sank another Luxol trey, with Brewe and Shawn Pace doing likewise for Starlites. Schembri again put in a Luxol triple, with Ahlberg helping out quite well, with his hoops, to offset another couple of Pace treys, for Starlites. At the interval Luxol were 40-36 ahead.
After the break Luxol had Brewe answering back at first, but then the champions came up with a 13-4 run, as Dimech nailed two quick treys. It looked as if Luxol were yet again going to ease away, as they did in their previous matches, against Starlites. The latter side had other ideas, and finished the session with a 10-2 run, and an Alec Felice Pace triple, but they were still 54-60 behind. Luxol inched away once more, but a 9-3 Starlites run, with another Brewe triple, had them a hoop away. Luxol were defied one more time, as Starltes went a basket in arrears yet again, but a workmanlike 9-2 ending had Luxol easing their minds, to start the second round of play on a winning note.
Luxol: CJ Cordina 5, M. Sjoberg, N. Vasovic 9, J. Melillo, JP Schembri 12, K. Dimech 14, W. Ahlberg 25, K. Meyer 11, A. Micallef Trigona 2
Starlites: S. Pace 11, M. Azzopardi, R. Bonnici 5, A. Schembri , S. Borg 2, A. Felice Pace 5, R. Carabott 4, O. Psaila, N. Andrejevic , J. Wait, M. Brewe 42
Referees: E. Mangani, N. Azzopardi, Z. Dobrosavljevic
Hibernians 73 Gzira Athleta 76
(16-15, 16-22, 18-15, 23-24)
These two sides had a balanced outcome in their matches, having registered two wins apiece, but Hibs had a defeat, against the same Athleta, in four league matches, whilst their opponents had won all their three encounters. Hibs recovered Fabrizio Mariani, but were again without Simon Attard. Athleta had Michael Naudi back again, but Ivan Mitrovic was still nursing his hand injury.
Naudi started the ball rolling, with an opening trey, but Chad Patus overturned the score for the Paolites. Athleta reacted with a 10-4 run, with Jon Feilor to the fore, but their lead was short lived, as Hibs made up a 7-0 run, Athleta ended the session with a pair of free throws. In the next session the lead changed hands four more times, before Athleta made up an 8-2 run, with an Omar Said triple, to forge in front. Hibs had Marco Matijevic with his points, then came more treys, Said for Athleta and Roderick Vella for the Paolites. Athleta managed to go in, at the interval, on a 37-32 advantage.
After the break Hibs were rampant, beginning with a solid 17-5 run, Alvaro Lizaur and Patus sank treys, and so did Billy Zammit for Athleta. The latter side responded with a session ending 10-1 run, as Said netted yet another triple, and Chad Patus went off, with fouls, as Athleta began the last quarter 52-50 ahead. Lizaur was still putting in points for Hibs, including another trey, as did Vella, as their side overturned the score. Zammit and Naudi sank Athleta triples, before play was stopped, and Naudi was found to be ineligible on court, having already committed both a technical and anti-sporting one, and did not take any further part. Vella netted another Hibs trey, to tie the score. Again, the lead was changing hands often, with Vella claiming another trey. Feilor put Athleta ahead and Luke Farrugia restored Hibs' advantage. With two seconds on the clock Zammit coolly converted two Athleta free shots, to hand them the lead, and with the match practically over Said netted the last points, for a better Athleta victory.
After the game Hibs registered their protest, based on a technical error, leaving the outcome uncertain, until after the protest is heard.
Hibs: R. Vella 13, P. Attard, K. Sultana, L. Farrugia 8, I. Bonett, K. Caruana, A. Axiaq 8, M. Matijevic 13, A. Lizaur 15, F. Mariani, C. Patus 16
Athleta: M. Naudi 17, B. Zammit 10, P. Shoults 4, L. Stefanovic, F. Mifsud Bonnici, O. Said 14, N. Xuereb, S. Vincic, J. Feiler 31
Referees: B. Vassallo, G. Barbara, T. Mantere