Depiro’s big stride towards Play Offs
Depiro 48 Starlites Naxxar 40 (10-12, 13-11, 14-10, 11-9)
The two sides had shared the six previous encounters they had.
Starlites needed a win to clinch their Play Off place but they will have to wait. Depiro’s yoyo results had a win next in line and they obliged with their fourth league victory.
This put them ahead of Starlites but with an extra match and in line for a Play Off spot if Hibs do not win their remaining two matches.
Depiro had Hayley Acreman missing whilst Starlites had a depleted outfit with no less than six players absent. They had Josephine Grima on the bench but she did not enter the court of play.
Starlites began strongly enough as Jean Doughty and Kirsty Galea twice netted their triples in a swift 12-4 run. Depiro recoverd till the end of the session with an 8-2 run as Carlee Schuhmacher made nearly all of their points to take Depiro a hoop in arrears.
In the next period Depiro twice tied the score only for Starlites to romp back ahead with a 9-0 run and a third Galea trey.
Once more Depiro responded this time with a 9-0 run a Sam Brincat triple and more Schuhmacher points. At the interval both sides were again level on points with a 23-23 score.
After the break, Depiro began inching in front. A second Brincat triple started a 9-2 run and her next points extended their advantage. Jaelle Micallef netted a late trey for Starlites who were 3137 behind going into the last session.
Starlites just couldn’t make up the leeway as depiro held out and later on they opened their advantage further with Starlites only able to cut down on their deficit with their free throws with time running out on them.
Depiro: A. Mifsud, G. Mifsud 2, M. Balzaraviciute 5, S. Brincat 14, M. Bonett, N. Agius, M. Scicluna, C. Schumacher 19, J. Xuereb 8, T. DeMartino, C. Ciantar
Starlites: J. Micallef 11, K. Galea 10, J. Doughty 3, K. Pirotta 1, J. Grima, P. Arguello 13, A. Micallef, S. Farrugia 2 Referees: B. Vassallo, K. Dvornikzac, M. Rajczi