Depiro overcame an awkward situation, being well behind at the start of the final quarter, to emerge triumphant, and take the championship play off into the third and deciding match.
Hibs have only themselves to blame, as they must have thought that the game was theirs for the taking. They were punished badly, as Depiro’s grand comeback bore fruit, and left the champions in tatters at the end. This game was a far cry from the first one, when Hibs demolished their adversaries, and gave the large crowd present their money’s worth.
Depiro couldn’t have hoped for a better start. An opening Sarah Pace trey, and a 7-0 run, set Hibs thinking, but they replied with a couple of hoops, only to be set back again, by a second Pace trey.
Depiro managed to go in front again, and they stayed there till the end of the quarter.
In the second session Depiro increased their lead, but then they had to suffer the Paolites’ relentless pressure, as Bev Zammit led her team to an 8-0 run, for a 20-19 lead.
Greta Zarb sank a trey for Depiro, as they recovered, to regain the advantage, but they couldn’t hold it long, as Alexis Darmanin’s free shots and Zammit’s foraging resulted in a strong 10-0 run, and Hibs forged in front. Depiro could only reply through a single hoop, and the champions went in at the interval, on a 30-25 advantage.
After the break, Depiro were hit hard, as Bev Zammit put in her trey, and Francesca Tabone came off the bench and promptly did likewise. Depiro tried to recover, but the champions were confident in their play, and went into a 42-28 advantage. Despite their insistence Depiro couldn’t manage to get any nearer, and after three sessions the Paolites were resting on a 44-31 lead.
Hibs were surprised at the start of the last quarter, as Rachel Camilleri’s trey, and a third Sarah Pace trey, in an 8-0 run, opened the game once again. Hibs tried to stop the flow of play but Depiro were in full flow, as they put in an 11-0 run, for a 50-46 lead, with a second Zarb Trey.
Hibs replied at last, with a second Zammit trey, to make it a one-point game.
In the remaining time Depiro stuck grimly to their task, and denied the champions till the very end, leaving Hibs’ clean sweep of the honours in doubt.
DEPIRO: 2 R. Camenzuli, C. Riolo, 11 S. Pace, 14 J. Cardona, 8 R. Camilleri, 2 A. Muscat, C. Hawkins, A. Sciberras, E. Vella, R. Spiteri, 14 G. Zarb
HIBS: 8 C. Fenech, 16 B. Zammit, F. Bianco, 3 F. Tabone, 4 M. Desira, 2 D. Parnis, 12 A. Darmanin, 4 N. Mifsud, S. Debono. M. Cutajar
REFEREES: Emanuel Mangani, Clive Terribile