Depiro started the season later than the other Men teams, but it was worth waiting for, as they began by taking the scalp of Bupa, in a match in which they led from start to finish. Their young lions have a season of experience behind them now, and they will surely pose a threat to other aspirant sides. Bupa were coming from a good win over Loyola, but they found a stumbling block in their second encounter, as Depiro oozed confidence throughout the game.

Depiro do not have Marco Arsovski, and they were also missing David Agius. They now have three ex-Qormi youngsters, to blood through in the coming weeks. Luxol made just the one change, with Sean Mizzi taking over from Mark Micallef.

Depiro surprised Luxol at the start, making up an 8-0 run, with an Andrew Aquilina triple. Bupa’s reply was a Robert Azzopardi trey, and then there were more triples at either end, Roderick Vella and David Bugeja for Depiro and Antoine Costa for Luxol. Depiro held on to their advantage till the end of the session, as both sides traded hoops. In the second quarter Costa netted a second triple, as Luxol moved closer. Vella then nailed a second trey for Depiro, but Bupa’s reply was adequate, going on to 22-25. Depiro then hit Luxol, as the latter made turnovers, and a solid 14-2 run, with more treys, by Bugeja and Aquilina, as they broke clear. Luxol began to crawl back, with free throws, but Aquilina popped up again, with his third triple. Halfway through the encounter Depiro were on a comfortable 42-29 advantage.

After the break the scoring took a turn for the worse. Every time that Luxol made inroads, from Andrew Cremona and Jean Paul Bonnici, there was always Isaac Tanti to conclude for Depiro, holding his side’s advantage intact. In the late stages of the period Bupa made a surge, and put in a 7-0 run, which took them within reach of their opponents, at 43-50, with a session to go. Depiro edged forward once more, but Luxol hung on grimly for some time, and Azzopardi’s points, with a third triple, still had them hoping. That was until Depiro’s treys sailed in. Bugeja’s third began the way, and Aquilina netted two more, to put the match beyond Luxol’s reach. Late in the game Azzopardi had to leave the court, after two unsportsmanlike fouls.

Depiro

15 R. Vella, JP Schembri, 13 D. Bugeja, C. Farrugia, 18 A. Aquilina, J. Camilleri, 4 J. Gatt, B. Borg, E. Lupo, 1 M. Mallia, 14 I. Tanti, G. Mercieca

Luxol

E. Bonello, 2 M. Mercieca, 14 R. Azzopardi, 3 A. Micallef Trigona, S. Mizzi, 8 A. Costa, 4 N. Vasovic, T. Paris, 10 A. Cremona, E. Caruana Montaldo, 9 JP Bonnici

Referees

E. Mangani, A. Carbonaro, C. Terribile