Athleta began the second round games with an emphatic victory over Starlites.
They built up their session scores with each successive period and then let loose in the final session leaving their opponents pointless.
Athleta keep on challenging Loyola for the fourth spot in the standings. They presented a full formation for this encounter. Starlites had Amanda Farrugia and Claire Scicluna unavailable.
Starlites opened the proceedings with a brace of hoops while Athleta were still settling down. When they did, Athleta went on till the end of the session with a 10-0 run and with no further reply from Starlites.
Athleta were still going on in the second period as they increased their advantage until Starlites’ Lyndsey Pirotta took matters in her own hand with a three basket spread in a 7-0 run.
This was stopped by a Lonike Calleja triple and Athleta also had Leanne Sciberras with more hoops as they took a 23-13 lead by the interval.
After the break Starlites replied twice to Athleta’s first points when then Calleja netted her second triple for athleta.
After that Lara Pisani also sank a trey for Starlites but Sciberras put in a further triple as Athleta held a 37-22 advantage with a session to go. Starlites were then shut out for the rest of the match when Athleta piled in a 16-0 run mainly through Kelly Busuttil and Francesca Farrugia with athleta obtaining their double over their adversaries.
Athleta: R. Spiteri, R. Sciberras, 1 D. Jager, 7 L. Calleja, 15 L. Sciberras, 5 M. Azzopardi Duca, G. Muscat, 4 D. McKeon, C. Galea, 11 F. Farrugia, 9 K. Busuttil, 1 C. Mifsud
Starlites: C. Riolo, 2 A. Grixti, S. Tabone, 3 L. Pisani, 1 C. Spiteri, 6 L. Pirotta, N. Attard, MC Cilia, 2 C. Scicluna, 8 M. Cutajar
Referees: A. Carbonaro, R. Darmanin
Loyola in easy double over Mtarfa
Alyssa Ashley Loyola 56
Guzelpinar Mtarfa 27
(16-8)(18-2)(7-8)(15-9)
Loyola kept themselves above Athleta in the league table when they easily disposed of Mtarfa’s opposition.
They had already established a heavy enough advantage by the interval and eased off a little after the break. The final session again saw the winners imposing their superiority as they saw Mtarfa off.
Loyola were without Elaine Falzon and Martha Gatt but Christina Grima was still able to turn out for them. Mtarfa had missing players in Diane Falzon Martina Mifsud and Nicola Said.
There was a quiet start to the match but Loyola then put in a 10-3 run mainly through grima although Gaby Mifsid replied for Mtarfa with her usual triple. Till the end of the session both sides netted a further hoop each.
In the second period Mtarfa were in for a hard time. Loyola had Jean Doughty with a triple at the start. Mtarfa’s only contribution in this session came from Carina Gauci Meilak but Loyola responded well with a 12-0 run as Grima put in her side’s last points and with Mtarfa unable to add on to their meagre tally.
At the interval Loyola were on a 34-10 advantage.
After the break Loyola did not keep their scoring rhythm although Adalia Bonanno began her personal tally. This time there was a reply from Mtarfa especially from Gauci Meilak but Loyola still held a good 41-18 advantage.
Rachel Sammut obtained a triple and a hoop for Mtarfa but in between Loyola made up a 10-0 run.
Till the end of the match both sides had their moments but it was Loyola to hold on to their winning advantage as they ended the game in a comfortable manner.
Loyola: 3 J. Doughty, 2 F. Schembri, 18 C. Grima, D. Said Hollier, 4 R. Spiteri, 5 A. Bonanno, 6 A. Sciberras, F. Camilleri, SJ Barbara, 2 K. Gouder
Mtarfa: M. Abela, 5 R. Sammut, Y. Muscat, 7 C. Gauci Meilak, 4 M. Agius, 4 Graziella Santillo, M, Scicluna, CM Vella, 5 G. Mifsud, A. Demanuele
Referees:E. Mangani, B. Sly
Luxol go on top, with a game more
St Andrews 25
Luxol 90
(8-20)(7-19)(5-22)(5-29)
Luxol did the double over the Saints with a high score victory as four of their players finished the game with double figure scores.
St Andrews were on the receiving end for most of the match as the Violets made their intentions clear from the start. They are now sole leaders although with a game more than the other two pretenders.
The Saints had their two new signings, both ex-Luxol, Kay Portelli and Tina De Martino but Nadia Cassar and Elaine Cachia were missing. Besides the two players ceded to their opponents Luxol also had Mandi Sciortino unavailable but Italian Jessica Carbonell was back.
The Violets took no time to begin strongly with a 10-0 run as Beverlee Zammit netted a triple. The Saints’ reaction helped them to share the points with their adversaries as Zammit nailed her second trey for Luxol and St. Andrews converting their free throws.
In the second session it was Luxol once more with an 8-2 run. The Saints had Tina De Martino making her first points for the new team but her sister Luxol’s Steffi and Zammit again potted more triples for a 39-15 Luxol advantage by the interval.
Luxol’s superiority became more pronounced after the break. A 10-2 run all from Steffi De Martino set the road as the Violets then registered a further 12-2 run till the end of the period for a strong 61-20 lead.
The last session meant further pressure on the Saints. They had to endure Luxol’s incessant forays as Paula Ellul poured in her hoops. Emma Moore rounded up the rout with a last second triple.
St Andrews: M. Caruana, R. De Martino, 4 J. Calleja, N. Scicluna, 2 K. Portelli, 7 J. Mangion, 5 T. De Martino, 2 R. Magro, 5 M. De Martino
Luxol: 5 E. Moore, 4 L. Serge, 6 B. Naudi, 17 S. De Martino, 17 P. Ellul, 13 D. Muscat, 8 J. Carbonell, 6 E. Grech, 14 B. Zammit
Referees: A. Carbonaro, L. Camilleri
Late free throw gives Depiro the spoils
Hibs Medsea 48
McDonalds Depiro 49
(17-11)(11-10)(6-15)(14-13)
Depiro grabbed victory seconds from the end in a nail-biting match although with a low scoreline.
Depiro go to the top of the standings alongside Luxol and leave the champions in third place.
There was nothing to choose between the two sides and it was really the errors committed which decided the encounter. Depiro now make it two wins out of three against the Paolites.
Along with the two injured players, Maris Desira and Alexis Darmanin, Hibs also had Emma Micalled unavailable and they are still awaiting the approval of their new player Cuban Yadira Frances Ferrer. Depiro were without Christine Sammut.
The champions took an early lead and then went on to a 6-2 advantage. Depiro replied through Kaila Agius and Svetlana Micallef to go in front. The Paolites were soon ahead once more and Kirsten Baldacchino nailed a last second triple for a better advantage.
Greta Zarb put in a Depiro trey in the second session but Hibs seemed to have the measure of their opponents and Baldacchino sank her second triple before Kaila Agius was injured. Depiro still reduced the arrears and at the interval Hibs were 28-21 ahead.
After the break the Paolites were pressed hard by a determined Depiro side. A 10-2 run with triples by Antoinette Borg and Sarah Pace gave the Mtarfa side a lead as agius went back on court.
Pace nailed her second trey for a better lead. Hibs pulled back to just a hoop behind at 34-36.
The Paolites opened up well in the final period and took the lead twice through Lucienne Bezzina but Agius restored Depiro’s advantage. Francesca Bianco’s triple gave Depiro more room but the champions returned and Baldacchino’s third triple brought both teams level.
After missed free shots for Hibs it was Borg with a single free throw who decided the match for Depiro in the last seconds.
Hibs: 4 E. Cassar, M. Zammit, 11 L. Bezzina, F. Tabone, 6 D. Micallef, 2 N. Arrigo, 11 K. Baldacchino, 4 J. Cardona, C. Schiavone
Depiro: 8 S. Pace, 4 G. Zarb, J. Xuereb, A. Mifsud, 11 A. Borg, 6 F. Bianco, J. Busuttil Gaerty, M. Bonett, E. Vella, 8 S. Micallef, 12 K. Agius
Referees: E. Mangani, JP Sammut
Standings
After all teams have played eight matches, McDonalds Depiro lead with 15 points each, followed by Hibs Medsea on 14, Alyssa Ashley Loyola 13, Athleta 12, St Andrews 10, Starlites Sports Experience nine and Guzelpinar Mtarfa on eight points.