Depiro beat Starlites and reclaim top position
Cynergi Depiro 80
Starlites Naxxar 65
(21-18, 13-17, 17-15, 29-15)
Despite the final score handsomely in Depiro's favour they were made to struggle hard against a depleted Starlites outfit shorn of their young bench players. It was only in the last quarter that Depiro could prise themsekves away from their opponents to claim their victory. Depiro only had Steve Sammut missing but they faced a stubborn side who battled all the way before finally succumbing to superior forces. Alec Felice Pace was made captain for the day for Starlites and his younger brother Ian was also introduced into the top side although he remained on the bench.
Starlites managed to go in front four times in the early stages of the match when DJ Mason was making all the Depiro points. His side then came up with an 11-2 run as Timothy Zammit and Andrew Aquilina twice netted their triples. Starlites cut down on their deficit with Depiro adding on two free shots. In the second period more Mason points increased depiro's score with Starlites striking a good patch with a 12-2 run beginning with an Ivan Mitrovic trey and Nikols Stankovic amking up the rest. Starlites were ahead with Depiro twice regaining their lead only for Starl;ites to go in at the interval on a slim 35-34 score after Stankovic made a three point play.
After the break Depiro forged in front with Starlites pushing them back again but a 7-0 Depiro run gave them an advantage. They increased it slightly with Starlites grabbing a brace of hoops for a 50-51 deficit. The last session had Kurt Xuereb netting a Depiro trey and Anthony Schembri doing likewise for Starlites. Depiro then edged away. with a 10-0 run. Jacob Formosa poulled two hoops back for Starlites but Depiro were in control. A 12-3 run opened up a winning lead as Alec Fel;ice Pace sank a Starlites trey. The last stages of teh match had Mason making a couple of hoops more with Formosa nailing a late triple for Starlites for a change in the final score.
Depiro: D. Bugeja 8, R. Bonnici, D. Schembri, A. Aquilina 12, DJ Mason 31, T. Zammit 3, M. Mallia, A. Quiros 5, K. Xuereb 11, M. Borg , D. Scafidi 10
Starlites: I. Mitrovic 11, R. Carabott 3, I. Felice Pace, A. Schembri 3, M. Falzon 4, A. Felice Pace 13, N. Stankovic 11, J. Formosa 21
Referees: B. Vassallo, Z. Dobrosavljevic, I. Marjanovic
The Floriana MCP Car ParksHibernians encounter was postponed to a later date because of lack of officials to control the game.