Floriana tie the series

Basketball - BOV League Men

Floriana MCP Car Park 77 Cynergi Depiro 44 (16-16, 14-9, 24-12, 23-7)

Floriana made amends to their opening match loss, when they decisively beat Depiro, to tie the series, and definitely take the same series into a fourth encounter. Depiro kept in touch till the interval, but then they were hit heavily by the Greens, midway into the third quarter, and never really recovered, as they threw in the towel. Late in the match. Depiro now have to pick themselves up, for the third game, on Sunday, and Floriana will take heart, even though they must be kicking themselves at not having two victories under their belt, instead of a tie.

Depiro opened up with a brace of hoops, and then the triples began to sink in. Chad Patus and Shawn Pace began for Floriana, with Kurt Xuereb in between, for Depiro. Later on it was two more Pace treys for the Greens, and again, in between, Andrew Aquilina for Depiro.

The two teams were still tied after the first session. Floriana began the next period with an 8-0 run, before being stopped with a Robert Bonnici triple for Depiro, who stayed close, with Aquilina nailing another trey, but Patus points had Floriana in the lead, with a 30-25 halftime score.

After the break it was Nikola Vasovic who edged the Greens further ahead, but Depiro reduced their deficit, only for Floriana to come up with a good 11-0 run, by Patus and Anton Axiaq.

Depiro managed a couple of hoops, but the Greens were back, making up a session ending 7-0 run, with more Patus points, and a second triple, as they drew away to a 54-37 score. Pace obtained his fourth trey, with Xuereb replying for Depiro, netting his second triple. After that Depiro wilted, and Floriana made up a masterful 18-2 run, till the end of the match, mostly from free shots, with Depiro vainly trying to stop the clock, and with Vasovic and Patus enhancing Floriana's advantage till the very end.

Floriana: C. Patus 26, S. Pace 15, S. Borg 4, D. Agius, N. Vasovic 16, C. Calleja 2, A. Axiaq 14, N. Andrejevic

Depiro: S. Zammit, D. Bugeja 2, R. Bonnici 7, D. Schembri, A. Aquilina 9, DJ Mason 14, T. Zammit, M. Mallia, A. Quiros 4, K. Xuereb 6, M. Borg, D. Scafidi 2

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