Hamrun Go Mobile 67

Pembroke Athleta 74

(21-12) (8-14) (19-24) (19-24)

It was a pulsating match as Hamrun were the better team at the start but Pembroke came back admirably to claim the game. It could have gone either side but at the end Liberty were thwarted and Pembroke now top the standings.

Pembroke started with Michael Naudi on the bench as both sides were wary of eah other. Hamrun’s Omar Said sank a trey to lead 9-4. Pembroke replied with a Julian Naudi trey but Liberty’s effective speed on the ball was having its toll on Pembroke’s defence. Steve Pace was grabbing the points as Hamrun forged ahead. Pembroke tried to come back but were hit by two late hoops and Liberty led 21-12 after the first session.

In the second session Hamrun were still in control but when their passes started becoming wayward Pembroke rallied well and an 8-0 run, with a couple of treys, mae it a clsoer game at 25-22.

Liberty recovered with a bace of hoops but then the two sides were guilty of shoddy play. Pembroke managed two hoops, the last from another Hamrun error, and at the interval it was a close 29-26 score for Hamrun.

After the break Pembroke went out in a determined mood and their treys overturned the result. A 12-2 run put the champions 38-33 in front. Hamrun tried to get back quickly but Pembroke held out for a 48-41 lead. Till the end of the quarter Liberty rallied, helped by an Abraham Portelli trey and it was still a close 50-48 for Pembroke.

The last session saw Pembroke once more relying on their treys, but Liberty came back well to grasp the lead. That changed several hands as both sides battled it out for top spot.

Another trey by Pembroke put them in command once more in the late stages. as Liberty were pressing, Michael Naudi sank a trey for Pembroke and Hamrun couldn’t get back.

Pembroke added more free shots and they were through. Now they have the bonus of a game win in the play-off semis against Footwork.

Hamrun : S. Pace 2, K. Borg, D. Camilleri 2, A. Spiteri 10, A. Borg 7, A. Portelli 8, O. Said 13, J. Jetson 2, N. Falzon, I. Terribile, K. Farrigia, S. Gouder.

Pembroke: M. Naudi, J. Naudi 21, M. Zammit 18, E. Bezzina 9, J. Galea, J. Zammit, J.P. Azzopardi, D. Cuschieri 16, M. Pisani 8, D. Ross 2

Referees: Bernard Vassallo, Jean Paul Sammut

Footwork 86

Depiro Kyocera 56

(20-4) (22-8) (18-24) (26-20)

Footwork couldn’t have hoped for a better result, as Depiro took too long to settle down and by that time the game was already out of their reach. Footwork thus made sure of a third place and left the fourth step to Depiro.

Both sides had a player missing for this match, which had a bearing on the third and fourth spot in the table. Footwork had a happy start, with a opening 11-0 run, as Depiro could not co-ordinate their play, managing only a couple of hoops. Footwork went on to a good 20-4 lead with their court control.

There was no change in the second quarter as Depiro failed to find their opponents’ basket. Footwork did not set any houses on fire but went on to an 18-0 run. Depiro finally could put together some order in their play and had a good finish to the quarter, also getting a trey through Roderick Vella. Still, Footwork held a big 42-12 lead at the interval.

After the break Footwork kept a good hold and Steve Sammut’s trey made it 49-16, but from then on Depiro were an inspired lot and little by little they took over. A 15-2 run made it a more pleasant game and Footwork’s lead was cut down, although they stopped Depiro’s run with an Ian Mercieca trey. After three sessions it was a 60-36 match.

The last quarter saw Footwork once more imposing their superiority. An 11-0 run was recorded before Depiro could make any impact. They did manage to reduce their deficit once again but the Footwork duo, Addison Bonnici and Chris Sammut extended Footwork’s lead once more. Depiro had a good ending to the match with Peter Schoults’ treys, but Louis Camilleri had the last say as Footwork emerged easy winners.

Footwork: L. Camlleri 14, S. Sammut 15, M. Barbara, C. Sammut 25, I. Mercieca 3, A. Bonnici 25, A. Huizer 2, E. Xuereb 2

Depiro: R. Vella 13, M. Sammut, M. Shoults 25, P. Shoults, J. Vella, M. Ciantar 5, J. Vassallo 2, E. Lupo 7, M. Mallia 2, D. Agius 2

Referees: Carlo Farrugia, Stephen Micallef