Another victory for Hamrun over Luxol; now await the semi-finals
BUPA Luxol 57
Hamrun L Go Mobile 61
(17-16)(11-21)(19-10)(11-13)
Hamrun beat Luxol once more this season, as the two sides now prepare to meet again in the semi-final play offs. Both sides had their moments but Hamrun went ahead at the right time late in the game to bag their win.
Both sides had missing players, with Luxol's Beppe Micallef Trigona and Edgar Caruana Montaldo and Hamrun's Albert Spiteri on the missing list. Luxol came out first with a 5-1 lead but Liberty, with some neat set pieces, made an 8-0 run. The two sides then made treys as Hamrun momentarily lost their lead but, once regained, they kept it till the end of the session, on a 17-16 score.
In the second quarter the two teams once more opened up with treys and Luxol took the lead but then they were hit by a good Hamrun run, 11-0. Play then was more balanced till the end of the session as Liberty kept their lead, and a Karl Borg trey helped them on to a 38-27 half time lead.
After the break Steve Pace sank a trey for Hamrun but Luxol replied with a 12-2 run and two treys of their own, for a 39-43 score. Liberty reacted to open up a lead again, but Luxol came back once more. There was enough time left but both sides frittered their chances and after three sessions it was still Hamrun, at 48-46.
In the final quarter Luxol did not take much time to overturn the score but Hamrun had a good reaction and a Karl Borg trey gave them a 55-53 lead. Luxol managed to tie the game but Liberty went in front once more late in the game with two fast breaks by Steve Pace.
Then they held on as Luxol tried to stop the clock, to no avail, even though they failed their free shots. Notwithstanding the result it didn't make any difference to the final classification of the standings.
Luxol: A Cremona 9, M Mercieca 2, R Azzopardi 10, M Micallef, D Schembri 2, M Bonnici, R Dalli 3, A Bianchi 3, S Cassar 6, S Schembri 22.
Hamrun: S Pace 19, K Borg 6, D Camilleri, A Borg 12, A Portelli 5, O Said 11, J Jetson 8, I Terribile, S Gouder.
Referees: Carlo Farrugia, Jean Paul Sammut
Pembroke Athleta 90
Depiro Kyocera 53
(22-7)(23-17)(20-13)(25-16)
Pembroke ended their group phase with a win over Depiro, their fourth seasonal victory over their opponents. It was Depiro's last seasonal match as they are not involved in the play off series.
Pembroke included Michael Naudi from the start. Although Peter Shoults made a trey for Depiro, it was Pembroke with a 14-3 opening run to establish their superiority. Depiro tried to get back in the game but the Naudi brothers made four hoops together to give Pembroke a 22-7 first session lead.
In the second session Depiro kept pace at the start, matching Pembroke, who however kept their lead. Pembroke then took over once more, and a 10-2 run extended their lead. Peter Shoults sank a couple of treys for Depiro but young Jonathan Zammit replied for Pembroke with his own trey and at the interval it was 45-24 to the champions.
After the break Pembroke struck again with an Etienne Bezzina trey and after some time put in an 11-0 run, for a 63-29 score. Depiro made their mark at last and made a series of hoops. At the end of the session it was a 65-37 match.
The last quarter was more of an open game, as Roderrick Vella stayed on the bench for Depiro. Matthew Zammit was sinking his close-range shots for Pembroke as was Julian Galea, and Depiro were also finding space to make their points. It was more of a balanced match as the time wound down with Pembroke easily in control till the end.
Pembroke: M Naudi 16, J Naudi 10, M Zammit 7, E Bezzina 14, J Galea 13, J Zammit 5, JP Azzopardi, D Cuschieri 2, M Pisani 11, J Ransley 6, D Ross 6.
Depiro: R Vella, M Sammut, M Shoults 5, P Shoults 21, J Vella 3, J Vassallo 5, E Lupo 7, M Mallia 6, D Agius 6.
Referees: Stephen Micallef, Alfred Carbonaro
Final standings
14-1 Pembroke Athleta 29 points; 13-2 Hamrun L Go Mobile 28 points; 7-8 BUPA Luxol 22 points; 7-8 Footwork 22 points; 4-11 Depiro Kyocera 19 points; 0-15 Siggiewi Smina 15 points.