Caffe Moak Luxol 50
Depiro 38
(11-11, 11-7, 11-7, 17-13)
Caffe Moak Luxol and Gżira Athleta consolidated their lofty positions in the table to maintain their challenge for the top spot in the regular season.
A harsh battle for the remaining two spots remains as Starlites, Depiro and Hibernians all have to face each other with Depiro having played a game more. Their 68-61 win over Gżira Athleta last Friday had given them a positive boost.
An eight-point run in the spate of three minutes midway in the last quarter gave Luxol a timely buffer to make sure of a hard-earned win over Depiro.
In fact, with the score 42-36 five minutes from time, Luxol had a long distance pot from Paula Ellul, her third in the game, followed by a basket and a trey from Christina Curmi for a double-digit lead to emerge for the first time in the match.
Play was quite balanced up till that moment with Depiro also enjoying the lead early in the first half. Carlee Schumacher and Sam Brincat were leading the Depiro attack and doing their best to remain in contact with their opponents.
Luxol had Attirah Munir and Ellul getting most of their first-half points. Stephanie Demartino put in her share later on.
A couple of three pointers from Gabriella Mifsud and hoops from young centre Claire Ciantar helped Depiro maintain contact in the last quarter until Luxol struck their killer blow.
Luxol: S. Pace 4, M. Mercieca 2, A. Munir 13, I. Baena Medina, S. DeMartino 14, K. Portelli, C. Sollami, P. Ellul 10, L. Caruana Montaldo, M. Darmanin, C. Curmi 7.
Depiro: A. Mifsud 2, G. Mifsud 11, H. Acreman, S. Brincat 7, M. Bonett, M. Balzaraviciute, M. Scicluna, C. Schumacher 12, J. Xuereb, T. DeMartino 2, C. Ciantar 4.
Referees: Z. Dobrosavljevic, J. Mangani, I. Marjanovic.
Gżira Athleta 71
Hibernians 66
(12-13, 20-20, 20-13, 19-20)
This thrilling match was decided in the last three minutes of play when Hibernians, who were leading 66-62, suddenly lost pace as Gżira Athleta potted a 9-0 run to notch their biggest league win over the Paolites after they had beaten them with only a two- and three-point margins in previous rounds.
Hibernians, with guard Silvia Gambino very much in the picture, opened a maximum 23-14 lead in the second quarter having also some good post plays from Trudy Armstead and transition points from Iona Agius.
Athleta were trying hard to keep in touch as Amelia Simmons fought hard under the boards, even if not in her best physical condition.
Christina Grima was being subdued at first but two back-to-back treys from Antoinette Borg helped Athleta change ends just a point behind, 32-33.
Athleta were superior in the third quarter where they also overturned the score with points from Simmons and Grima.
But Hibs reacted and hoops from Julia Scerri and Elena Cassar put them back in the driving seat until Athleta won the game with their burst and Simmons closing with 30 points.
Athleta: C. Grima 19, L. Sciberras 7, A. Simmons 30, D. Said Hollier 5, A. Borg 6, J. Schembri, S. Vella 4, C. Mifsud.
Hibernians: E. Micallef 3, E. Cassar 11, S. Gambino 9, I. Agius 10, K. Caruana, K. Portanier Mifsud, T. Armstead 17, A. Marinkovic, J. Scerri 16.
Referees: B. Vassallo, C. Farrugia and J. Mangani.
Standings
Luxol (8-2) 18; Athleta (7-3) 17; Starlites (4-5) 13; Depiro (3-7) 13; Hibernians (2-7) 11.