Luxol in league double over Starlites

Starlites GIG 39 Luxol 76 (4-20, 12-16, 13-23, 10-17)

Luxol recovered from their defeat, by Balkan, to register a league double over Starlites, and remain in the upper echelons of the standings.

An auspicious start had them in command, and though Starlites shared the play for some time, the Violets again dominated play, from midway through the third session, until the end of the match.

Starlites were without Miguel Falzon and Josef Attard. On the other hand, Luxol recovered Michael Sjoberg and Idris El Gabailly.

Luxol couldn't have a brighter start, as their menacing duo, Vukassin Jandric and Michael Sjoberg, ran the Starlites defence ragged, and piled up the points, also with a trey each.

Starlites had Alex Fenech with a couple of late hoops, but Luxol were already way out in front. In teh second session Sjoberg began with another triple, but Isaac Pace replied for Starlites, also netting a trey.

Other Luxol players began to join in the points grabbing, but this time Starlites were answering back. at the interval Luxol were 36-16 in front.

After the break it was Ian Felice Pace with a brace of triples, for Starlites, but the Violets were amassing further points, as Ben Caruana Montaldo sank a trey, and Keith Dimech put in three hoops, along with the usual Jandric and Sjoberg, for a better 5929 advantage.

In the last quarter Mirco Azzopardi came to the fore, for Starlites, and, at the other end, Jandric converted another triple, and Adrian Micallef netted a trio of hoops, as his side continued to move further away from their opponents.

O. Psaila 4, M. Azzopardi10, L. Vella, I. Felice Pace 9, M. Scerri 2, I. Pace 7, M. Vella , J. Wait 3, A. Xuereb 4

L. Caruana Montaldo 4, V. Jandric 21, I. El Gabailly 2, B. Caruana Montaldo 3, K. Dimech 8, C. Calleja 2, M. Sjoberg 26, J. Navarro, A. Micallef 10, M. Steenkamer

E. Mangani, B. Sly, Z. Dobrosavljevic

Depiro remain in the league hunt

Depiro 86 Hibernians 57 (28-20, 35-13, 16-12, 7-12)

Depiro again came into contention, recovering from their loss, to Athleta, in their last encounter.

They established a first session lead, and then swept the Paolites aside in the next period. Hibs didn't recover, and Depiro, although easing up, were still in command of the match, to finish in a comfortable manner.

They had Kurt Xuereb absent, whilst Hibs were without Kieron Caruana, Eman Xuereb and Michele Laferla, but had Michael Hampton back.

The opening minutes were shared, as both sides twice tied the score.

Despite an Isaac Bonett triple, for the Paolites, it was Depiro with a 10-3 run, as Adam Chomo put in his hoops.

Hibs reacted, to draw nearer, but Depiro had Jack Nygaard and a last second Chomo triple, to open up their advantage further. In the next period Hibs were replying to the first Depiro hoops.

Nicholas Grech sank a Depiro trey, and Bonett netted his second triple, for Hibs.

Midway through the session the Paolites dried up in points, and Depiro forged forward in earnest, marking up a heavy 20-0 run, as Grech nailed two more treys, and Nygaard also made a triple.

At the interval Depiro had gone on, to a solid 63-33 advantage.

After the break Hibs found their scoring touch once more, but they couldn't stop their opponents from slightly increasing their lead, as Grech, again, and Nygaard, made their treys.

Depiro were 79-45 in front, going into the last period. The points fell away, especially from the Depiro end.

Andy Attard did manage a triple, from them, but the Paolites nibbled away a little deficit, which still left them trailing away, as Depiro seemed content with the score, and didn't put much pressure on the opposing defence.

E. Briffa, A. Attard 7, N. Grech 16, J. Camilleri 2, A. Chomo 19, M. Borg 8, M. Brincat 4, M. Mallia 2, J. Nygaard 24, M. Debattista, J. Vibe 2

M. Formosa 8, K. Sultana 18, A. Galea 4, P. Attard 4, I. Bonett 15, R. Aquilina, J. Piscopo 4, M. Hampton 4, R. Aquilina

Z. Dobrosavljevic, K.Dworniczak