Bupa Luxol 72 Depiro 71
(24-20, 15-12, 14-22, 19-17)
Depiro eliminated Luxol from both the K.O. and the Louis Borg Cup, but in the league it is Luxol who have now a two win advantage over Depiro, with the latter facing a very uphill task to gain a semi-final place. The match could have gone either way as both sides enjoyed several advantages, but the most important one came with less than a second to the final buzzer, as Luxol's American, Jerrell Martin, sank a short hoop, in the paint, to hand victory to teh Violets. Depiro had a distant lifeline, as play restarted, but it was Martin again, to gain possession, and end the encounter. Luxol had a trump card, in the returning Dirk Schembri, as he ended up as his side's top scorer. Depiro were missing skipper, Andrew Aquilina, bur the Czech player, Adam Chomo, was back, after missing a couple of matches.
It was Luxol with an early lead, with Keith Dimech grabbing a brace of buckets. Depiro went level on points, with Swede, William Ahlberg, netting a Luxol trey. Depiro took some time, but eventually went in front, aided by American, Keshaun Hamilton, points, only for the Violets, to make the session's last points, and regain their advantage. The next period had Luxol enhancing their lead, with Ahlberg netting a second triple, and a couple of Martin hoops. Depiro had American, Trent Steen, to pull them back, but again Luxol netted the last points, before the interval, to go in on a 39-32 advantage.
After the break Depiro were close once more, but Ahlberg was on hand, to sink another trey. Depiro took it in their stride, and gained another advantage, with American, Jack Nygaard, in the thick of the action. Although Schembri was still putting in his hoops, it was Depiro just ahead, at 54-53. In the last quarter Luxol overturned the score, but Depiro had Nicholas Grech and Nygaard with triples Schembri gave the Violets another advantage, with Depiro chasing hard, and then they tied the score twice, in the last stages of the match, but it was not over yet. Luxol's last possession, in the remaining seconds resulted in Martin's hoop. Depiro pulled a point back, when Luxol coach, John Tabone, was given a technical infringement, but it was a point less than they wanted, and Luxol's safe defence, in the last half second, gave them a fourth league victory.
Luxol: CJ Cordina, V. Jandric 7, L. Caruana Montaldo, J. Martin 17, P. Engelbert, JP Schembri, K. Dimech 8, W. Ahlberg 16, F. Sekulic 4, D. Schembri 20, S. Cappello
Depiro: T. Steen 14, K. Hamilton 24, J. Attard, D. Farrugia, N. Grech 3, O. Said 5, M. Mallia, M. Borg, J. Nygaard 16, A. Chomo 9, A. Attard
Referees: T. Mantere, Z. Dobrosavkjevic, I. Simic
Hibernians 94 Balkan Fusion 48
(30-9, 19-12, 24-9, 21-18)
With Starlites' loss, the day before, the champions have a good opportunity to jump to the top of the standings. They made the first step, brushing past the Balkan Fusion side, and are a point behind, but with a game less. Hibs struck early, to make doubly sure, and after opening a heavy advantage, till the interval, they could introduce their young bench players, to put in their name among the scorers. The Balkans had to do without a couple of their players, Nebojsa Komienic and Anthony Schembri.
Balkans held their own in the opening stages of the match, with Hibs having their Spaniard, Alvaro Lizaur, with a triple. The Poalites then surged forward and ended the remainder of the session on a 22-2 run, with Roderick vella and Lizaur putting in more trteys. In the second period Hibs had their Serbian, Ivan Demcesen, dominant in the zone, in a 9-0 run, but then they began to taper off, and the Balkans had Nikola Bozovic and Patrick walk to hike up their points total. At the halfway stage the champions were still enjoying a hefty 49-21 advantage.
After the break Hibs again let loose, as Lizaur and Canadian, Chad Cuschieri Patus, sank triples. The Balkans tried to stem the tide, but the Paolites kept on, and Cuschieri Patus could net two more treys, as his side went further ahead. Bozovic managed a late trey, bur the Balkans were fully 30-73 in arrears. The last session was a somewhat more balanced one. Hibs' youngsters went on court, after Lizaur sank three more triples, along with another, from Cuschieri Patus. For the Balkans there were Nemanja Despotovic and Walk to answer back, and try to obtain as many points as possible, with Hibs not really trying to have another century win, as in the opening round of play.
Hibs: R. Vella 7, P. Attard 2, K. Sultana 2, L. Farrugia 4, M. Formosa, I. Bonett 1, L. Tardito 7, A. Axiaq 6, M. Matijevic 2, A. Lizaur 20, I. Demcesen 25, C. Cuschieri Patus 18
Balkan: N. Radicevic, N. Despotevic 12, N. Bozovic 9, T. Grech 7, P. Walk 14, M. Gauci Montaldo 2, S. Todorovic 2, N. Kovacevic 2
Referees: T. Mantere, K. Dworniczak, M. Hraisha