Athleta were fully twenty points ahead, at the start of the last session, and seemingly home and dry, but there was a decisive twist to the match, as Depiro came storming back, to lower Athleta's colours, when they were at their peak, having just bagged the Louis Borg Cup. It must be said that the four honours already decided, in this category, have been won by four different sides, and a Depiro victory in the K.O. final, will make it five, which is something of a record. Maybe Athleta were pretty certain of their place, in the final, but they were rudely jolted, and couldn't muster enough of a reply, to regain their solid advantage, in the last stages of the encounter.
Athleta recovered their Serbian, Alex Perunicic, for this match.
It was Athleta with an early lead, and Nathan netted an Athleta triple. Play still fluctuated, with lead changing, and the end of the session had three triples floating in, with Pace and another American, Connell Crossland, for Athleta, and Depiro's American, Jack Nygaard, at the other end. The next period had Crossland extending Athleta's advantage, but Depiro didn't take time to overturn the score. It was Athleta who again persisted, and Crossland and the other American, Julio Guity, to take their side to another lead. Peter Shoults added a further Athleta trey, but Omar Said did the same. Athleta held on to their advantage, despite more triples from Depiro, from another American, Keshaun Hamilton, and Daniel Farrugia. Shoults grabbed a second trey for Athleta, who finished 48-43 ahead, at the interval.
After the break Athleta began to edge away, despite the buckets being made by Depiro's American, Trent Steen. Athleta went into a double figure lead, and when Depiro threatened to return, Athleta put in a solid 10-2 run, with a Xuereb triple. Depiro had to chase at a distance, with Athleta increasing their lead further, with more Pace points, and another trey, for a heavy 77-57 advantage. Depiro surprised their opponents, in the last quarter, totting up a solid 13-0 run, as the three Americans made a triple each. Crossland pulled two hoops for Athleta, but Depiro made up the remaining deficit, as Said grabbed a second trey, for a tie. He went on to give Depiro a lead, and it was Athleta doing the chasing, after frittering away their large advantage. Guitw twice brought them back to a hoop down, but Depiro stood fast to the end, to progress to the final, in a match in which they looked dead and buried.
Athleta: N. Vasovic 2 C. Crossland 19, P. Shoults 8, L. Stefanovic, A. Perunicic, N. Xuereb 11, M. Gouder 7, V. Pace 23, I. Mitrovic, J. Guity 16
Depiro: T. Steen 24, K. Hamilton 10, J. Attard, D. Farrugia 7, A. Aquilina, N. Grech 2, O. Said 22, M. Mallia, M. Borg, J. Nygaard 18, A. Chomo 6, A. Attard
Referees: B. Vassallo, Z. Dobrosavljevic, C. Xuereb
Starlites GIG 83 Hibernians 91
(19-19, 28-21, 16-25, 20-26)
These two evenly matched sides fought out the match to the end, both of them very conscious of a defeat, which would deprive them of another honour, to the one that both have already acquired, the MBA Shield for Starlites and the Super Cup for the champions. The match swayed from end to the other, with advantages for either side, but at the end it was Hibs who got the verdict, and a passage to the K.O. final.
It was the Paolites with the early lead, at 9-2, and a trey from Spaniard, Alvaro Lizaur. Starlites went to within a point, with Americans, Andrew Sears and Cameron Ward, points. The champi0ons held on to their advantage till the very last seconds of the period, when Ryan Carabott threw a triple, to tie the score. In the second session more triples went in. Lizaur and Luke Farrugia put in for Hibs, with replies from Ward and the other American, William Darley. Starlites were level twice more, but Canadian, Chad Cuschieri Patus made his trey, for another Hibs lead. This time Starlites went one better, gaining the upper hand, with a late 14-2 run, and two more Ward triples, for a 47-40 interval advantage.
After the break Starlites were still putting distance between the two sides, as ward added another trey. Suddenly the champions found their way, with a solid 18-3 run, as Patus and Lizaur claimed triples, and Serbian, Ivan Demcesen, powered his way into the paint. Nick Formosa netted a Starlites trey, in between. Darley gave Starlites a minimal lead, but it was Hibs in front, at the end of the session, as Patus sank another trey, for a 65-63 score. The last quarter was plentiful, points wise. Hibs kept their advantage, and had a useful double figure lead, but Starlites responded, with three more triples, by Formosa and Darley, twice. Starlites were chasing hard, but couldn't make the breakthrough, as the Paolites made the free shots, when their opponents tried to stop the clock, making sure only in the last seconds of the game. Hibs will now meet Depiro in the K.O. final, on the last day of March.
Starlites: A. Felice Pace 2, N. Formosa 6, R. Bonnici, I. Felice Pace, C. Ward 31, M. Falzon, M. Scerri, R. Carabott 5, W. Darley 17, A. Sears 14, J. Stotts 8
Hibs: R. Vella 2, P. Attard, K. Sultana, L. Farrugia 9, M. Formosa, I. Bonett, L. Tardito 15, A. Axiaq 8, M. Matijevic, A. Lizaur 15, I. Demcesen 20, C. Cuschieri Patus 22
Referees: T. Mantere, K. Dworniczak, D. Torok