Cynergi Depiro now in sole top position

Basketball - Men’s Div I

Bupa Luxol 76 Cynergi Depiro 89 (29-13, 13-28, 18-25, 16-23)

The top of the standings clash went in Depiro's favour at the end. Luxol started like a house on fire, especially CJ Cordina, but then the fire went out, and depiro coolly took up the reins, to make up the substantiasl deficit, and then deliver the killing blows in the closing stages of the encounter. They also stopped Luxol's four game winning streak, and they themselves recovered well, from their shock defeat, by Hibernians. Luxol felt the absence of their Swedish player, William Ahlberg, who is their ball handler. They also had Dean Meli missing. Depiro were without their recent signing, Steve Sammut.

The game sparked quickly into life, as the triples began to flood in. JP Schembri began for the Violets, with a reply from Depiro's DJ Mason, who played a blinder, keeping Dominic Scafidi on the bench.

Then it was Cordina who delivered a brace of treys for Luxol, as they established an early advantage. They followed this up with a strong 15-2 run, with Samuel Deguara points, and another Cordina special. Mason, who made nearly all of Depiro's opening session points, added another two hoops, before Cordina closed the period with his fourth triple, as Luxol were flying high.

The danger signals, from Depiro's end, began early in the next period, as they quickly recovered their deficit. More Mason points were followed by Andrew Aquilina and Robert Bonnici treys. Luxol stopped their opponents, with a couple of Deguara hoops, but Bonnici sank another Depiro triple in between, and then Depiro were twice in minimum advantages, before Deguara kept up his scoring touch, putting Luxol on a slender 42-41 interval lead.

After the break Depiro were ahead once again, with an early 7-2 run, and a David Bugeja trey. Keith Dimech points had the Violets on level terms, but Depiro were playing confidently, managing a 10-2 run, Alvaro Quiros and Mason. Pierce Cumpstone took Luxol just behind their opponents, but Depiro opened up their advantage, till the end of the session, as Aquilina netted his second trey, for a 66-60 lead.

The last quarter had Luxol chasing madly, but Kurt Xuereb sank a Depiro triple. Luxol were close again, with Cumpstone points, and a trey, but then two triples in succession, from Depiro's Mason and Aquilina, jolted Luxol badly. They tried to stop the clock, but every time Bugeja was fouled, he put in all his free throws, to open up a winning advantage for Depiro, leaving Luxol in the lurch.

Luxol: CJ Cordina 17, M. Mercieca 4, J. Maistre Melillo, JP Schembri 3, K. Dimech 12, P. Cumpstone 22, S. Deguara 16, S. Cappello 2

Depiro: D. Bugeja 18, R. Bonnici 8, D. Schembri, A. Aquilina 9, DJ Mason 30, T. Zammit, M. Mallia, A. Quiros 10, K. Xuereb 14, M. Borg , D. Scafidi

Referees: B. Vassallo, E. Mangani, C. Farrugia