Athleta annihilate rivals Luxol

Athleta A-Z Electronics 92
BUPA Luxol 65
(18-18, 23-17, 17-13, 34-17)

Athleta inflicted another heavy defeat on rivals Luxol who again faltered badly in the final quarter.

Petar Apcev and captain Robert Azzopardi kept Luxol in the match with 11 minutes remaining as they only had a four-point deficit at that stage but two consecutive three-pointers put Athleta in command.

The initial exchanges were balanced as the first quarter ended 18-18.

In the second quarter, Luxol’s tall players struggled to contain the threat posed by Athleta underneath the boards. The leaders took advantage to go 30-23 ahead but six consecutive points narrowed the gap for Luxol to just one point, 30-29.

Omar Said’s shot from outside the arch enabled Athleta to change ends 41-35 in front.

Luxol enjoyed a good spell after the sixth minute but after coming to within four points of Athleta, 52-48, Marco Mercieca missed a hastily-taken three-pointer and was then sent off for dissent.

Luxol were made to pay as Athleta upped their game to put the issue beyond doubt. To add insult to injury for Luxol, Azzopardi was also expelled in the closing stages.

Athleta: M. Naudi 18, J. Zammit 2, E. Bezzina 7, C. Galea, O. Said 29, C. Calleja 3, A. Bonnici 18, K. Baldacchino 6, A. Ryan, S. Schembri 9.

Luxol: C.J. Cordina, M. Mercieca, R. Azzopardi 21, A. Micallef Trigona, P. Apcev 30, A. Costa 8, T. Paris, A. Cremona 4, E. Caruana Montaldo, J.P. Bonnici 2, S. Mizzi.

Referees: G. Barbara, A. Carbonaro, C. Terribile.

Depiro Mtarfa 51
Loyola Tata Motors 56
(11-13, 15-9, 15-17, 10-17)

Loyola took advantage of Depiro’s collapse in the last five minutes to chalk up their first league victory.

Loyola surprised Depiro whose captain and top-scorer Roderick Vella was subjected to man-marking by Shawn Pace.

A time-out by coach Ray Muscat addressed Depiro’s attacking difficulties after Loyola had stormed 11-2 ahead. Depiro improved to cut the gap to a single basket (13-11) by the end of the first quarter.

The game remained balanced with Depiro changing ends 26-22 ahead. The level of play improved after half-time with Loyola making it evens at 33-33 by the fifth minute.

There was little between the two teams at this stage but Depiro managed to go back in front, 41-39.

Depiro stayed ahead until six minutes from the buzzer, 50-46. After that, Loyola’s aggressive ap-proach rocked Depiro.

As Depiro fluffed their last five free-throws, Loyola nosed ahead in the last minute thanks to Giovan Mihalovic’s basket. The same player nailed a fortuitous three-pointer as the 24-second possession period expired. This proved to be the winning basket as Depiro failed to recover.

Depiro: R. Vella 10, J.P. Schembri 3, D. Bugeja 6, A. Aquilina 12, J.Gatt 4, E. Lupo 11, M. Mallia 4, I. Tanti 1, G. Mercieca.

Loyola: S. Pace 5, B. Zammit 15, D. Camilleri, S. Borg, L. Azzopardi, F. Nicastro, S. Vella 6, A. Axiaq 6, G. Mihalovic 14, J. Anastasi 3, J. Ransley 3, A. Tabone 4.

Referees: B. Vassallo, J.P. Sammut, E. Mangani.

Standings: Athleta 10 (5-0); Siġġiewi 7 (3-1); Luxol 7 (2-3); Depiro 6 (1-4); Loyola 6 (1-4).

Top scorers: P. Apcev (Luxol) 107; M. Naudi (Athleta) 102; O. Said (Athleta) 93.

League: Saturday – 15.45 Luxol vs Depiro. Sunday – 16.15 Siġġiewi vs Athleta.