Depiro ended their commitments in the first phase of play keeping their noses in front of the pack after suffering their only league lapse in their very first match.

They had a fairly easy time against Athleta although the latter played a good match by their standards. Life without Kaila Agius is a thing that Depiro now have to get used to.

Dorien Jager was back for Athleta but Francesca Farrugia was still injured along with Leanne Sciberras. Depiro’s youngsters Justine Xuereb Rachel Sammut and Maria Bonett were all unavailable.

Greta Zarb began for Depiro with a hoop and a triple but so did Athleta with Dana Mckeon making the trey.

Sarah Pace continued the trend for Depiro with her triple and after Athleta twice replied to Depiro’s hoops Pace netted her second trey to extend Depiro’s advantage. In the second period although Athleta were making their points Zarb sank her second triple.

Depiro then put in four more hoops with Athleta inserting their brace in between before the session ended. At the interval Depiro were on a 26-18 advantage.

After the break Depiro burst forward and hit Athleta with a sound 13-0 run starting with a Justine Busuttil Gaerty triple.

When Athleta finally stopped the run with Chantelle Mifsud making her side’s points for the period Depiro let loose once more. Zarb nailed in two more triples along with another one from Andrea Mifsud for a solid 48-21 lead.

In the final quarter Athleta made the better start as McKeon netted her second trey. Depiro had Mifsud sneaking in more points. The game then slowly came its conclusion with more pressing from Depiro.

Athleta: 8 D. Jager, 1 L. Calleja, R. Sciberras, 5 M. Azzopardi Duca, G. Muscat, 6 D. McKeon, 5 K. Busuttil, 5 C. Mifsud

Depiro: 10 S. Pace, 22 G. Zarb, 10 A. Mifsud, 5 F. Bianco, 5 J. Busuttil Gaerty, 4 A. Borg, 2 E. Vella, 2 S. Micallef

Referees: E. Mangani, A. Carbonaro

Luxol 86

Alyssa Ashley Loyola 38

(20-11)(23-10)(11-10)(32-7)

A comprehensive victory ensured Luxol of their second spot in the standings. They now start the championship pool a point behind Depiro and a point above Hibs.

Loyola were always in an uphill task and they lost ground with every passing session as the Violets drove home their superiority.

Luxol played with a seven woman team when Becky Naudi and Louisa Serge were unavailable. Loyola were without Fiona Schembri and Martha Gatt.

After a basket at each end Mandi Sciortino sank a triple for Luxol but Loyola manage dto grab a slim lead.

The Violets’ reply was a 9-1 run before being stopped by a Ruth Spiteri hoop. Luxol picked up the reins once more to post a 6-2 run till the end of the period as Diana Muscat netted her free throws.

In the second period Loyola tried to pull back but they were thwarted with an 8-2 Luxol run and Emma Grech points. Towards the end of the session Luxol made up a further 13-2 run and a brace of Bev Zammit triples as the Violets extended their lead to a 43-21 score.

After the break Loyola began with a Jean Doughty triple and after the two teams put in more hoops Doughty nailed her second trey.

The scoring was not so hot as before but the Violets managed to end the period with a three basket spread as they moved on to a 54-31 advantage. Loyola began to fade away in the final period. Luxol began by making up a solid 14-3 run with treys by Emma Moore and Paula Ellul. Doughty netted another triple for Loyola.

The latter were hit further as Luxol poured in another strong 18-2 run when Ellul once more, and Steffi De Martino also sank their treys, when Luxol ran away with the match.

Luxol: 11 E. Moore, 6 M. Sciortino, 19 S. De Martino, 10 P. Ellul, 20 D. Muscat, 12 E. Grech, 8 B. Zammit

Loyola: 14 J. Doughty, 4 E. Falzon, 4 D. Said Hollier, 8 R. Spiteri, 4 A. Bonanno, P. Montanaro, F. Camilleri, 2 SJ Barbara, 2 K. Gouder

Referees: G. Barbara, J. Mangani

Guzelpinar Mtarfa 17

Hibs Medsea 90

(3-27)(2-26)(4-23)(8-14)

The champions really went to town in their last game of this round of play. They had already obtained a century when they last played Depiro and they didn’t repeat the feat only because they eased off in the last quarter.

Mtarfa felt the pressure mainly from the duo Joselle Cardona and Maria Desira who dominated the opponents’ zone.

Depiro had Carina Gauci Meilak and Carla Marie vella missing. The champions were without Alexis Darmanin Nadia Arrigo and Emma Micallef.

Hibs opened up with a rush of adrenalin pumping in an 8-0 run and when Gaby Mifsud put in a depiro hoop the Paolites went on to an 18-2 run as Cardona was incessant in her shooting. Depiro managed another single free throw before the champions once more made up a 9-0 run to punish their adversaries further.

In the second period Hibs effected some changes and Doreen Micallef fresh from the bench and desira were still punching holes in the fragile Depiro defence. Micallef also netted a triple. Depiro put in a couple of free shots but only after conceding a 0-24 run. At the interval Hibs had built up a 53-5 advantage.

After the break the Paolites changed tactics a little and it was triples to hike up their score as Francesca Tabone Lucienne Bezzina and Elena Cassar sank their long ones.

For Depiro it was Martha Abela who made their points but Hibs still reached their quota for the period marking up a 76-9 score. The final session had Nicole said putting points past the champions including a triple and Mifsud netted hers a little later for a satisfying 8-0 run.

Hibs then took matters in their hands again and registered a game ending 14-0 run anding with triples from Desira and Kirsten Baldacchino.

Mtarfa: 4 M. Abela, M. Azzopardi, M. Agius, 1 R. Sammut, 7 N. Said, F. Borg, M. Scicluna, 5 G. Mifsud

Hibs: 9 E. Cassar, 2 M. Zammit, 9 L. Bezzina, 6 F. Tabone, 24 M. Desira, 13 D. Micallef, 6 K. Baldacchino, 21 J. Cardona

Referees: E. Mangani, R. Darmanin

Starlites Sports Exp.      52

St Andrews      39

(13-15)(8-9)(12-6)(19-9)

Starlites ended their games with an uplifting victory which brought them level on points with the same Saints and above them with direct basket difference.

St Andrews held diverse leads and were still in front till just before the start of the final period but they didn’t last the pace and Starlites cashed in with a good ending to the encounter.

For Starlites the missing players were Claaire Scicluna and Natasha Attard. The Saints had Moira Caruana missing.

St. Andrews made a bright start marking up a 9-1 run with Nadia Cassar and Madeleine De Martino points. Starlites put things right in the next minutes as they totted up a solid 11-2 run through Samantha Tabone and Marilou Cutajar contributions.

The saints overturned the score with a couple of hoops. In the second period the points rate was lower. 

St Andrews kept their advantage for some time until Cutajar put Starlites ahead. The Saints twice tied the score and Josette Calleja then nailed a last second triple to put St. Andrews on a 24-21 favourable score at the interval.

Although the Saints managed to increase their lead after the break through Justine Mangion it was Starlites who began to make the plays and Tabone was at the forefront helping them to make up a long 10-2 run which took them to the end of the quarter and a 33-30 advantage.

The Saints rebutted Starlites’ first hoops in the final session keeping the same distance. Starlites then had Charlotte Riolo with a triple and they went on to net a 9-2 run which opened up a good lead. 

St Andrews’ reply did not materialise and Starlites sealed their victory with more hoops.

Starlites: A. Farrugia, 5 C. Riolo, 12 A. Grixti, 17 S. Tabone, L. Pisani, 2 C. Spiteri, L. Pirotta, Cilia, 4 C. Scicluna, 12 M. Cutajar

St Andrews: 1 R. De Martino, 3 N. Cassar, 5 K. Portelli, 10 J. Calleja, N. Scicluna, 2 R. Magro, Zammit, 10 J. Mangion, T. De Martino, I. Galea, 8 M. De Martino

Referees: C. Terribile, L. Camilleri