Hibs Medsea 43

Depiro 41

(10-4)(13-14)(11-17)(9-6)

There was nothing decisive in this first final, and everything to play for in the second one, today.

True, Hibs have beaten Depiro for the fifth time, this season, and have yet to be beaten by the Mtarfa side, but contrary to the other wins, the Paolites have only a minimum lead to take into the second final, as this competition is played.

Depiro didn't give the champions much space throughout the match, and managed to stay in contention, as Hibs seemed very nervous in their play, and never really got going, as was their wont this season.

Hibs recovered captain Lucienne Bezzina after missing two matches, and Depiro had Antoinette Borg back from Sicily, but she only stayed on the bench, with the other players giving their all, to trouble the champions through the whole encounter.

Hibs went for personal defence at the start, but Depiro carved out a 4-2 lead. The Paolites reverted to their usual zone defence, and their attack started to function.

Depiro left some uncovered spaces, and were punished as Lucienne Bezzina and Doreen Parnis put in their treys, for the champions to sweep into the lead in the opening session.

In the second quarter Depiro began by going to within a basket, at 8-10.

Hibs rallied, and Parnis was again prominent, when three hoops went in for the champions. Depiro stopped the sequence, and Sarah Pace sank a trey.

Depiro followed up, to post a 7-0 run, and Hibs' lead went down to just a point. The Paolites recovered sufficiently, and their free throws built into a 7-0 run of their own.

Rachel Camilleri helped Depiro to come back, with a couple of hoops, and at the interval it was Hibs, on a 23-18 low-score advantage.

After the break the Paolites were caught cold, as Greta Zarb's trey started off a good 9-0 run, for Depiro to jump into the lead. The champions managed to tie the score, at 27-27, but Depiro were in full cry, and Rachel Camilleri was still putting the points in for them.

In the later stages of the session Bev Zammit was allowed more space, and sank two of her specials, the last one in the very last second, and Hibs went to just a point down, at 34-35, after three sessions.

The two teams were very apprehensive of each other in the last quarter, and took time to settle down.

Hibs went in front, but Depiro got into their stride, to go ahead once more, at 39-38. Bev Zammit pulled the Paolites back with her third trey and a further hoop.

Depiro put in a spurt to save the game, but the champions' defence forced them into hurried shots, and at the end Hibs held on to their slender basket lead, and the outcome is still wide open, and to be decided in the second final.

HIBS: C. Fenech, 13 B. Zammit, F. Bianco, 10 L. Bezzina, F. Tabone, 1 M. Desira, 13 D. Parnis, 4 A. Darmanin, S. Debono, 2 M. Cutajar

DEPIRO: C. Riolo, 11 S. Pace, 5 J. Cardona, A. Borg, 11 R. Camilleri, A. Muscat, C. Hawkins, 2 A. Sciberras, E. Vella, 12 G. Zarb

REFEREES: Jean Paul Sammut, Alfred Carbonaro