Caffe Moak Luxol and Honey Athleta have seized the initiative after winning the first game of their semi-final play-offs against Hibs Medsea and PAVI Depiro respectively.

Hibs gained an early lead, 5-2, but Luxol, the top team at the end of the first phase of the championship, staged a reaction to take a one-point lead, 15-14, at the end of the first quarter.

There was a bold response from Hibs who moved 20-15 in front at the start of the second quarter and, although Luxol hit back to go 22-20 ahead, the Paolites got the next eight points to lead 28-22.

The game remained finely-poised with Hibernians a point ahead, 31-30, at the interval.

Luxol began to impose themselves after the break, opening a 42-33 lead, but Hibs were not prepared to lie down.

Their comeback enabled them to trim the gap to four points, 49-45, only for Luxol to obtain the last five points of the quarter and start the last 10 minutes 54-45 ahead.

Hibs did try to bridge the gap in the final quarter but Luxol stayed focused to run out 67-56 winners.

In the second semi-final, Athleta survived Depiro’s last-quarter fightback to clinch the first game of the play-off, 64-60.

Athleta made the better start. They led 16-7 at the end of the first quarter and went on to dominate the second, changing ends 35-15 ahead.

With a 20-point advantage, Athleta looked to be heading for an easy win but their loss of concentration after the interval complicated their task.

Depiro, inspired by Sierra Evans and captain Sam Brincat, launched a recovery in the last minutes of the third quarter to reduce the deficit to six points, 42-36. As the last 10 minutes ticked off, Athleta seemed to have recovered from their slump as they doubled their lead to 12 points, 52-40, but back came Depiro who piled up the points to reopen the issue.

Depiro only trailed 61-60 with a minute remaining but Athleta’s top-scorer Amelia Simmons took centre-stage to steer her side to victory.

Sunday’s fixtures
St James Hospital League SF play-offs (second legs): 13.00 Athleta vs Depiro; 14.45 Hibs vs Luxol.

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