St. James Hospital Shield – Men 1 Div.
Group A
Starlites 61
Remax Citadel Siggiewi 56
(17-12, 14-22, 10-12, 20-10)
Starlites put the defeat by Athleta behind them and bounced back with a victory over Siggiewi.
The latter side have a difficulty with the U/23 player ruling and have to leave very valid players on the bench throughout their Shield matches.
Not so Starlites who have a number of youngsters already playing in the top division. Starlites had their Hungarian Gabor Szokreny abroad whilst Siggiewi cannot make use of their towering Czech Ivo Hoeger who is ineligible.
They also had to rope in Ayrton Debattista and Samuel Mamo to conform with the age rules thus having inexperience all through the encounter.
Starlites opened the scoring and stayed ahead for some time with Marco Todorovic and Robert Bonnici hoops. Siggiewi then netted a brace of baskets to overturn the score but till the end of the period Starlites were back with a 9-2 run as Todorovic kept giving headaches to the Siggiewi defence.
In the second session Siggiewi fought back with Steve Sammut points but Starlites managed to hold on to their advantage. In the latter part of the session Siggiewi were in control and though Starlites had Robert Bonnici with his triple in the last stages a 9-0 Siggiewi run had them overhauling Starlites and going in front till the interval on a 34-31 score.
After the break it was a case of Siggiewi trying to increase their advantage also with a Chris Sammut trey but every time they had Starlites with their replies.
Marco Matijevic was very active for Siggiewi and Todorovic and Bernard Soler answered for Starlites.
At the start of the last quarter Siggiewi were enjoying a 46-41 favourable score. Todorovic took Starlites past Siggiewi early on but the latter side had Lee Ross and Steve Sammut to take them level once more.
Robert Bonnici then increased his tally in a personal 8-2 run and a second triple. Siggiewi’s counter thrusts produced only a single hoop and Starlites could hold on to their victory giving them a very good chance of making the semis.
Starlites: M. Todorovic 25, R. Loporto 7, R. Bonnici 21, D. Massa, S. Bonnici, A. Schembri , B. Soler 8, A. Cutajar , K. Azzopardi
Siggiewi: G. Coleiro 2, A. Debattista 2, S. Sammut 11, C. Sammut 11, S. Mamo 2, L. Camilleri 4, A. Borg 2, L. Ross 5, JP Antoncic, N. Falzon, K. Kodomaris , M. Matijevic 17
Referees: B. Vassallo, E. Mangani, C. Terribile
Group B
Luxol’s win eliminates Depiro
Pavi Depiro 59
Bupa Luxol 71
(10-17, 19-11, 18-24, 12-19)
Luxol went into their first group match and their eventual win pushed them into the semis and also eliminated Depiro who were suffering their second consecutive defeat after they also fell foul of Floriana.
The Greens and Luxol will now have it out between them for the group’s top place. Depiro again had Turrell Morris a mere spectator with his late registration.
Bupa recovered Marco Mercieca, now back from his honeymoon, and Edward Bonello was playing his first match. They also had Andrew Micallef Trigona missing.
It was Luxol with the first positive forays as they went on to a solid 17-3 advantage with Michael Myers Keitt points and triples from Adrian Micallef and Nikola Vasovic.
Towards the end of the period, Depiro rallied and made up a session ending 7-0 run which ate up a good part of their deficit.
In the next session play was balanced for a while but then Depiro put in a 9-0 run which pushed them into a lead.
Luxol twice managed to draw level on points but despite Myers Keitt’s points, they were trailing by a mere point at 28-29 at the interval.
After the break, Vasovic let loose with a couple of treys as Luxol went back in front.
Depiro’s answer was not so effective and Luxol again made up a 10-2 run with more Myers Keitt hoops.
Depiro dug deep and came up with an 8-2 run which boosted them up. The two sides then netted a trio of hoops and with a session to go Luxol were resting on a 52-47 score.
Depiro came closer with Abraham Portelli points but Luxol had Vasovic with another trey.
Depiro got stuck in and narrowed the gap once more but a 7-0 Luxol run, with a further Vasovic triple, gave them the leeway they required.
Depiro had little time to recover and Vasovic closed down the encounter with his sixth trey for Luxol.
Depiro: R. Vella 3, B. Zammit 2, N. Sultana 2, A. Aquilina 8, A. Portelli 16, A. Axiaq 8, E. Lupo 4, I. Tanti 16, M. Mallia
Luxol: CJ Cordina 2, M. Mercieca 1, A. Micallef 8, E. Bonello, N. Andreevic, JP Schembri 2, N. Vasovic 18, T. Paris, M. Myers Kiett 36, J. Willoughby, JP Bonnici , S. Cappello 4
Referees: E. Mangani, C. Terribile, L. Camilleri