Depiro Mtarfa 54
A to Z Electronics Athleta 58
(14-16)(7-12)(13-15)(20-15)
Depiro Mtarfa 54
A to Z Electronics Athleta 58
(14-16)(7-12)(13-15)(20-15)
After six weeks of inactivity the league leaders did not have it all their own way as Depiro stuck close for the major part of the encounter and in the last stages of the match they also threatened to produce a shock victory when triples twice brought them just a whisker away from their opponents.
Athleta held out but they must have been relieved at the final buzzer.
Depiro had the same formation as in their last game against the champions. Athleta had Clayton Calleja and Chris Galea missing.
Athleta were quick off the mark as they opened up with an 8-2 run and depiro’s reply wasn’t that hot when Athleta went into a 12-3 advantage. The next time Depiro were more effective as they put together a sound 11-2 run which had Andrew Aquilina nailing a triple when his side swept into a lead.
In the remaining time Athleta overturned the scoreline with a brace of hoops to end the period in front. In the second session Depiro twice tied the score but Athleta prevailed and obtained another 10-0 run with Dirk Schembri and Omar Said points the latter also with a triple with the team going into a double figure advantage.
Very late in the session David Bugeja netted a trey for Depiro but at the interval his side was still 21-28 in arrears.
After the break the game exploded with the opening triples at both ends. Depiro began with their couple from Roderick Vella and a Bugeja second.
Athleta’s answer was a 7-0 run starting with a Michael Naudi trey before Vella netted his second triple and Depiro went near once again. Till the end of the quarter Athleta made up another 8-2 run to reopen a better advantage before the start of the final period on a 43-34 score.
Depiro put in the first hoop but Athleta did not want to take any chances and an 8-2 run with points from Naudi and Said had them forging some distance in front. This did not phase Depiro who had a second Aquilina triple and then they went on to cause more discomfort to their adversaries when they made up a solid 11-0 run getting to within a hoop.
Athleta recovered to edge further ahead but Bugeja made yet another triple with depiro clinging tenaciously close. A final Naudi hoop had Athleta breathing just a little bit easier as they played out time to keep their unbeaten seasonal record intact.
Depiro: 10 R. Vella, 4 JP Schembri, 17 D. Bugeja, 6 A. Aquilina, J. gatt, 6 E. Lupo, 2 M. Mallia, 9 I. Tanti, G. Mercieca
Athleta: 23 M. Naudi, J. Zammit, E. Bezzina, 10 D. Schembri, 15 O. Said, 7 A. Bonnici, 1 K. Baldacchino, A. Ryan, 2 S. Schembri
Referees: G. Barbara, A. Carbonaro, C. Terribile