Depiro     57     Starlites GIG     68

(13-23, 17-13, 11-13, 16-19)

Starlites had already beaten Depiro three times before, but this latest victory was their most difficult yet. Depiro managed to stay close till the start of the last period, but a Starlites 14-2 run doomed their opponents, who could not recover, in the time left. They cut down on their deficit, but Starlites held a winning margin.  Depiro recovered Nicole Agius, but Andrea Mifsud was still missing. Starlites were without Michela Zammit Cordina, and introduced another foreigner, Hungarian, Fanni Fabok.

Kirsty Galea, oozing confidence, started Starlites off, with her points, and a trey. Steffi Demartino, also in fine form, had Depiro just behind, but Starlites hit back well, with a 12-3 run, as Spaniard, Patricia Arguello, and Galea made their triples. Gaby Mifsud also put in a trey, for Depiro. Starlites kept their lead, till the end of the session, as Arguello sank another triple. In the second period Depiro were creeping back, as Danielle Agius made her triple. Free throws took Starlites away, once more, but DeMartino netted a trey, and Depiro were near again. Starlites' efforts to extend their lead were thwarted, as Mifsud sank a late triple. At the interval Starlites were leading 36-30.

After the break DeMartino took Depiro closer, with her second trey, but Starlites made their points, for a better lead Depiro were battling for a closer game, when they lost their mentor, Reuben Baldacchino, with a second technical foul. The session ended with Starlites 49-41 in front. The last quarter had Demartino gamely pulling Depiro nearer, but Starlites closed down the match, as they made up a 10-0 run, with more Galea points. Depiro grimly did not let up, and it was Claire Ciantar making points. Towards the end of the match Nicole Agius managed more points, and a trey, for a better scoreline, but Depiro were still on the losing side.

Depiro: N. Agius 7, G. Mifsud 8, No. Agius, C. Camilleri 2, D. Agius 6, S. De Martino 22, D. Said Hollier 2, M. Scicluna, A. Gray 4, E. Cassar, C. Ciantar 6, N. Hili

Starlites: M. Riolo 6, K. Galea 24, A. Micallef 2, S. Farrugia 2, M. Bonett 8, H. Acreman 1, F. Fabok 2, J. Grima 7, P. Arguello 14, M. Cutajar, S. Davies, A. Lupo 2

Referees: B. Sly, Z. Dobrosavljevic, M. Hraisha

 

 Caffe Moak Luxol     61     Hibernians     68

(10-20, 8-21, 23-10, 20-17)

The match seemed over at the interval, as the champions had built up a heavy advantage, but they did not reckon with the gritty Luxol outfit, who whittled away their whole deficit, only to be pipped at the end, as Hibs made their free throws, as Luxol tried to stop the clock. Hibs thus totted up their second league victory, to keep up with Starlites, but they nearly paid the price for their complacency, when so much in front. Hibs felt the absence of Sam Brincat, with American, Amelia Simmons being helped by a good performance from Sophie Abela, who toiled ceaselessly, until a shoulder injury forced her out prematurely.

Hibs had Leanne Duncan making her early points, to prod them ahead. Emma Micallef then sank a triple, for the Paolites, but Chantelle Mifsud, playing her best match for the Violets, had her side just behind. The rest of the session belonged to the champions, as they made up a 10-0 run, to ease off ahead. In the second period Hibs went on, with a further 7-0 run, and a Sophie Abela trey. Spaniard, Ina Baena, went on court, and proceeded to mark up her points, also with a triple. Hibs took over, once again, with another 13-0 run, from Simmons and Hannah Al Tumi. Baena netted a second trey, for the Violets, but at the interval the champions were way out in front, on a 41-18 score.

The story changed after the break. Luxol were much more aggressive, and surprised the Paolites, as they made up a heavy 12-2 run, with triples, by Baena and Monique Caruana. It was Simmons for Hisb, and lateron, Abela, but Luxol were still gnawing away at their deficit, as Sarah Pace put in her trey. Hibs' lead went down, to a 51-41 score. The last quarter had Baena and Pace making more treys, and Hibs were in sight. More pace points had the Violets a hoop behind. The Paolites tried to hold them off, but another Caruana trey had both teams on level terms, at 60-60. Hibs suddenly took a turn to the better, and they pushed themselves into a late 8-1 run, as their free throws made the difference, to record their second league victory.

Luxol: S. Pace 16, M. Caruana 13, Ni. Vella, I. Baena 12, No. Vella, K. Portelli, A. Borg 3, A. Dillard 9, L. Caruana Montaldo, M. Pollacco, C. Mifsud 8

Hibs: E. Micallef 6, E. Cassar 4, K. Caruana, K. Calleja , I. Agius 2, J. Abela, S. Abela 12, A. Simmons 27, N. Farrugia, H. Al Tumi 7, R. Camilleri, L. Duncan 10

Referees: N. Azzopardi, I. Simic, D. Torok