Starlites GIG     57     Hibernians     77

(11-23, 20-19, 14-13, 12-22)

The champions registered their second victory, after their win over Balkan Fusion. They were meeting a side who also had obtained an initial win, against Depiro. They Paolites started well enough, to carve out a good advantage, in the opening session, with Starlites then keeping pace, but unable to make any leeway into their deficit. Hibs established a useful advantage till the interval. Starlites still kept in touch, after the break, but the last quarter was detrimental for them, as the champions eased away from their opponents. Starlites were without Mirco Azzopardi, and Hibs had Luca Tardito back on the bench, but only as a spectator, still injured.

After an initial skirmish, with points at either end, and American, Jordan Stotts' trey, for Starlites, it was the Paolites who forged decisively forward, with their treys. Canadian, Chad Cuschieri Patus, Spaniard, Alvaro Lizaur, twice, and Luke Farrugia netted theirs, in a 14-2 run. Starlites pulled points back, but Cuschieri Patus found space for a last second triple, and a better lead, for the champions. In the next period play was more balanced. Starlites began to claw themselves back, at first. Ryan Carabott and Stotta made more treys, with Lizaur sinking one for Hibs, in between. Starlites were just a point in arrears, when the Paolites strode forward once again, with a late 12-2 run, as Lizaur and Roderick Vella sank more triples, for another good lead, at 42-31, at the interval.

After the break Hibs were still piling up a better advantage, as Cuschieri Patus and Lizaur went on making treys Starlites recovered, with Stotts producing the goods, in the zone, to cut down on their deficit, but they were still 45-55 behind. The last quarter had teh champions sealing their victory, as they sailed forward, with a solid 19-3 run, and another Vella trey, with Robert Bonnici netting a solitary Starlites triple. The late stages of the match had Starlites obtaining three more treys, Stotta, Alec Fel;ice Pace and Owen Psaila, for a somewhat better scoreline, but which left Hibs with a comfortable victory.

Starlites: O. Psaila 3, R. Bonnici 5, I. Felice Pace, C. Ward 8, M. Falzon, A. Felice Pace 5, R. Carabott 12, M. Scerri, N. Formosa 2, J. Stotts 22

Hibs: R. Vella 11, P. Attard, K. Sultana, L. Farrugia 5, M. Formosa, I. Bonett, A. Axiaq 10, M. Matijevic 16, A. Lizaur 17, C. Cuschieri Patus 18

Referees: Z. Dobrosavljevic, C. Xuereb, D. Torok

 

MSC Balkan Fusio      68     Depiro     77

(17-19, 8-14, 12-21, 31-23)

Depiro are still in with a fighting chance, for a semifinal post. This second defeat rules out the Balkans from the reckoning. But the latter side played their best game of the season yet, as they came back strongly, in the last session. Depiro opened an advantage, from the second period onwards, and they consolidated their lead, after the break. The Balkand then produced a defiant opposition, as they pushed Depiro, with their triples, and a late run, to hold their heads high. The Balkanshad the same formation, as in their previous match, as did Depiro.

The opening session saw the lead changed no less than five times, as both sides vied to surpass their opponents. Omar Said netted a Depiro trey, with Nikola Bozovic following up with his, for the Balkans. In the second period Depiro burst forward, with a 9-0 run, from American, Trent Steen, and Daniel farrugia. The Balkans settled down, and shared the play for the rest of the session, but Depiro established a 33-25 advantage, till the interval.

After the break the Balkans put in two quick hoops, but Depiro answered back, with an 11-2 run, and a Nicholas Grech triple. Late in the period they made up another 10-2 run, as Steen made more points, and they were cruising, on a 54-37 score. The last session seemed to be just an occasion for Depiro to stretch their lead, as Steen and said bagged more points, but the Balkans had other ideas.  Up popped Nikola Andrejevic, and he started to shove in his triples. There were four of them, in a short time. The Balkans were not over yet, and they made up a late 12-0 run, which had them quite close, but time ran out on them, and Depiro could recover from the loss they suffered, against Starlites, in their first match of the group.

Balkan: N. Andrejevic 15, B. Mrkojevic 4, P. Walk 19, A. Schembri 8, N. Bozovic 7, S. Todorovic, N. Bukva 7, N. Mitic 8

Depiro: J. Attard, R. Xuereb , D. Farrugia 5, A. Attard 3, A. Aquilina , N. Grech 15, O. Said 15, A. Chomo18, E. Briffa, M. Borg , T. Steen 21 

Referees: K. Dworniczak, M. Hraisha, D. Torok