Depiro     00     Starlites GIG     00

(8-16, 11-19, 12-13, 24-16)

Starlites kept up their run of victories, over Depiro, with a sixth straight win. With Hibs playing after, Starlites were momentarily alone, at the top of the standings. They went ahead, early on in the game, to leave their adversaries chasing after them, winning their sessions, and edging further away, as time passed. Depiro were always playing second fiddle, as the game was in Starltes' hands. Depiro included Julia Schembri for this match, and Starlites had Hayley Acreman and Adriana Lupo missing.

Starlites began with a brace of early hoops, with their opponents doing likewiswe. Then it was Starltes again, this time with a 10-2 run, as Joey Grima was accurate in the paint. Pointa at either end finished off the opening quarter. The second period had Starlites exerting their dominance, from early on, making up a good 10-2 run, before Depiro could start to make any worthwhile contribution. Nicole Agius sank a triple for them, but immediately after it was Kirsty Galea netting a trey for Starlites. At the interval Depiro had fallen 19-35 behind.

After the break Spaniard, Patricia Arguello, added a triple for Starlites, but Depiro struck a good patch, making up an 8-1 run, with Nicole Agius and Steffi DeMartino points. Arguello came up with another trey, before both sides put in two more hoops, before the end of the session, for a 48-31 lead, to Starlites. The last period had both sides with early treys, with another from Arguello, and two more from Depiro's Agius. With Starlites in a comfortable advantage they began to slacken off, and Depiro suddenly found the occasions to creep nearer, making up an 8-0 run, for a brief hope. Michela Riolo stopped their advance, with a sole free throw, and time soon arrived, with Starlites in another league victory.

Depiro: No. Agius, J. Schembri, Ni. Agius 9, G, Mifsud 6, C, Camiller 2, S. DeMartino 20, D. Said Hollier 1, M. Scicluna, N. Hili, C. Ciantar 8, A. Mifsud, A. Gray 9

Starlites: M. Zammit Cordina 2, K. Galea 12, M. Riolo 2, S. Farrugia, M. Bonett 8, C. Curmi5 , J. Grima 12, P. Arguello 20, M. Cutajar, S. Davies, F. Fabok

Referees: T. Mantere, Z. Dobrosavljevic, V. Nikolic

 

Caffe Moak Luxol     57     Hibernians     75

(9-17, 14-15, 16-29, 18-14)

The champions swept aside Luxol's challenge, to regain their place, at the top of the league ladder, with their fifth victory, in six matches, over their adversaries.

On Hibs' side there was the absence of skipper, Elena Cassar, with Britney Agius taking her place, and the return of Leanne Duncan.

Hibs made the better start, with a seven-point run, and an Emma Micallef triple. Luxol clipped points off, through Sarah Pace and American, Alexis Dillard, but American, Amelia Simmons put in two hoops for the champions. Dillard went on with her points, for the Violets, but late Simmons hoops still had the Paolites on a good advantage. The next period had the champions extending their lead, with a 7-2 run, and a Sam Brincat triple. Pace was there for Luxol, with her trey, but then they missed chances, and were punished, as Hibs made up another 8-2 run, with Sophie Abela and Simmons on three-point plays. The Violets had a good ending to the session, with another triple, and a Dillard hoop, to draw nearer, on a 23-32 score, at the interval.

After the break Hibs strode forward once more, with a 9-0 run, mainly from Sinmons with a reply from the Violets, as they made up a 7-3 run, with Brincat obtaining a second trey for Depiro. Pace was still getting points for Luxol, also with another triple, but the Paolites managed an 8-2 run, with a second Micallef triple, to distance themselves further. Points at either end followed, with Hibs comfortable on a 61-39 score. The last session was a quieter affair. Pace went on with her triples for Luxol, but the disparity in the score remained in favour of Hibs, as they always had a reply to their opponents' forays, even when they began to introduce their bench players on court, in the last stages of the encounter. Pace managed a fifth triple and Dillard added more hoops for the Violets, with Simmons going on the bench, for Hibs, and Duncan was on hand to make up the points for the champions, as they went alongside Starlites, at the top of the standings.

Luxol: S. Pace 26, B. Zammit, N. Vella 2, I. Baena, No. Vella,  S. Vella 2, K. Portelli 1, A. Borg 1, L. Caruana Montaldo, M. Caruana, A. Dillard 25

Hibs: E. Micallef 6, B. Agius 2, K. Calleja, S. Brincat 10, I. Agius, J. Abela, S. Abela 5, A. Simmons 30, N. Farrugia, H. Al Tumi 4, K. Caruana 3, L. Duncan 15

Referees: T. Mantere, I. Simic, S, Micallef