Depiro hold on to the top spot

Siggiewi 54 Depiro 97 (12-35, 14-20, 18-22, 1020)

Depiro registered their fifth straight league victory, also doing the double over Siggiewi, having beaten them in a Shield match, earlier on.

They gave their opponents no leeway, and kept pressure on them throughout the encounter, just failing to reach their century.

They had a three-pronged attack, garnering the majority of points Siggiewi managed to increase their score for three sessions, but they were always falling further behind, losing out on all four periods of play.

Depiro recovered Kurt Xuereb, who boosted their attack no end.

Depiro showed their intentions from the start, making up a solid 15-2 advantage, as Nicholas Grech sank a triple.

Siggiewi had Alex Novakovic to supply the hoops, but Depiro kept on with their treys, as Xuereb netted three more, and Adam Chomo and Jack Nygaard hiked up Depiro's lead further.

In the second session it was Hubert Agius to net Siggiewi's contribution, but Depiro had Nygaard with a brace of triples and Jonathan Camilleri and Xuereb with more points, as they ended the period on a heavy 55-26 advantage, till the interval.

After the break Siggiewi began to share the play for some time, against their adversaries. Novakovic sank two triples and Agius improved his personal score, with Chomo replying for Depiro.

A late flurry had Depiro putting in a 12-2 run, as Nygaard and Myron Agius increased their lead, to a 77-44 score. In the last quarter Grech, for Depiro, and Novakovic, for Siggiewi, sank early treys. Depiro took over once more, and made up a long 15-1 run, getting quite near to the century.

They just failed, as Siggiewi, managing a couple of hoops, decided to renounce the remaining last seconds of play, and accepted the resulting score, with Depiro also stopping their play.

JP Antoncic 3, M. Baldacchino, J. Anastasi 4, H. Agius 16, G. Agius, R. Alosco 1, K. Avranitakis 4, R. Camilleri 2, A. Novakovic 23,O. Shamala 1

J. Vibe , E. Briffa , M. Agius 8, A. Attard , N. Grech 10, J. Camilleri 4, A. Chomo 26, K. Xuereb 21, M. Borg, M. Debattista 2, J. Nygaard 22, M. Debattista 2 E. Mangani, Z. Dobrosavljevic

Athleta hand Luxol their first league defeat Luxol 69 Gzira Athleta 75 (17-21, 20-12, 20-20, 1222)

Luxol had their first league setback, and also fell a notch behind Depiro, in the standings, as they succumbed to Athleta's insistence, when the latter side dominated the last stages of the match, to overturn the score, and claim their victory.

Athleta now have three wins, to Luxol's four, but have played a game less, and reached Balkan Fusion, in third place.

Luxol had to wait till late in the second session, to take their first lead, but then they held their advantage till midway through the last period, before falling prey to Athleta, ably led by Francesco Mifsud Bonnici.

Athleta made the game's opening points, with Luxol going on a par, with Vukassin Jandric's trey. An 11-2 run took Athleta to a better advantage, but the Violets responded with an 8-0 run, and a Juan Navarro triple.

Athleta eased away once again, as Stefan Vincic netted a triple. In the second session Athleta held on to their lead, despite points for Michael Sjoberg, for Luxol including a trey.

Luxol then forged ahead, with a late 11-2 run, as Liam Caruana Montaldo, Jandric and Dimech sank their treys, to hold a 37-33 advantage, at the interval.

After the break Mifsud Bonnici began with a triple, for Athleta, but Luxol had a 12-4 run, all from triples, by Navarro, with two, Jandric and Dimech.

Mifsud Bonnici nailed a second trey, in an 11-2 Athleta run, as they drew level with their opponents.

Luxol ended the session on a 57-53 score, after late points. Luxol relied on Jandric and Dimech, the latter also with a triple, to keep their opponents at bay, but they couldn't manage this for long, as Athleta pushed forward, and a game ending 121 run swept Luxol aside, to their first league upset, allowing Depiro a sole position, at the top of the standings.

L. Caruana Montaldo 3, V. Jandric 26, I. El Gabaily, K. Dimech 15, C. Calleja 7, M. Sjoberg 10, J. Navarro 8, R. Falzon, M. Steenkamer

F. Mifsud Bonnici 23, R. Zammit, L. Stefanovic 11, N. Xuereb 16, J. Aquilina, B. Bartolo 2, S. Vincic 9, J. Ransley 14, K. Schembri N. Azzopardi, S. Micallef