Depiro     88     Gzira Athleta     97    

(21-31, 18-13, 27-25, 22-28)

Athleta ended their commitments of the group phase, with their eighth straight victory, as they avenged their elimination from the BOV K.O. semi-final match, against the same Depiro. They now await their two nearest opponents, Hibernians and Starlites GIG, who face each other on Sunday. Athleta had already beaten Depiro in three other previous matches, besides their defeat. Depiro still have skipper, Andrew Aquilina, unavailable, and they lost their American, jack Nygaard, on two technical fouls, in the last quarter, and Athleta could ease away enough, to win the encounter. Athleta recovered Serbian, Alex Perunicic, and he had some playing time, but his compatriot, Ivan Mitrovic, was still missing, and he is touted as going back to his homeland, after the birth of his daughter.

Athleta were first off the blocks, as American, Vincent Pace, sank a trey, with Nygaard and another American, Trent Steen, pulling Depiro back, although still in arrears. Trent played a blinder, and it was a shame that he had to finish on the losing end. Athleta kept their advantage, with more Pace points, along with others, from the two other Americans, Connell Crossland and Julio Guity. The latter was slightly injured, later on in the match, and he took no further part.  In the second period Nygaard netetd a Depiro triple, as they reduced their deficit, with Pace answering back, with his second trey. More Steen points had Depiro crawling nearer, but Athleta held on to their lead, and at the interval they were 44-39 in front.

After the break Athleta eked out a better advantage, and Peter Shoults put in his trey, but Depiro were coming around, and they made up the difference, with another Nygaard trey shooting them ahead. Athleta recovered, to regain their lead, but Depiro were still breathing down their backs, and the end of the session had Athleta just 69-66 in the lead. The last quarter had Perunicic going on court and extending Athleta's advantage. Nygaard put the game on a par. Athlet were again in front, and Nikola Vasovic free shots made for a slightly better lead, as Depiro lost Nygaard. At last Depiro fling brought them nearer, but Athleta could hold on, as they crept ahead just enough to foil their adversaries and prevent and last debacle. The defeat definitely put paid to Depiro's slim hopes of making the Play Offs, but they have a massive game, next weekend, as they face Hibernians in the BOV K.O. final.

Depiro: T. Steen 37, K. Hamilton 2, J. Attard, D. Farrugia 7, N. Grech, O. Said 10, M. Mallia, M. Borg, J. Nygaard 25, A. Chomo 6, A. Attard

Athleta: N. Vasovic 14, C. Crossland 22, P. Shoults 5, L. Stefanovic, A. Perunicic 13, N. Xuereb 6, M. Gouder 2, V. Pace 28, J. Guity 7 

Referees: B. Vassallo, D. Torok, K. Dworniczak