Defeat costs Depiro second spot in the standings

Athleta consolidate top position

Starlites GIG

Depiro

(after overtime) (24-26, 20-27, 20-20, 26-17) - (9-4) 99 94

The match had to go into overtime, when Starlites' Robert Bonnici coolly converted two free throws just three seconds from normal time. The Yuletide holidays cost both sides the appearance of some of their players. Starlites had the Felice Pace brothers, Alec and Ian, missing from the line up, and they roped in Jack Zammit and Quentin Bugeja, from the nether divisions. Whilst Bugeja stayed on the bench, not so Zammit, who had a very satisfactory debut, playing like it was not his first senior match. Depiro were also hit hard, being without Michael Naudi and their Czech player, Adam Chomo, back in his home country. They also suffered further shortages, when two of their players were ousted from the match, on two major fouls. They also lost their coach, Julian Naudi, a few seconds away from the end of the game, for dissent. This was Starlites' third victory over their opponents, this season.

It was a high scoring match, straight from the start, with Starlites having Miguel Falzon and American, Jeremy Marseille, firing late triples, to answer to the ones made by Depiro's Kurt Xuereb and Nicholas Grech, as Depiro held a slight first session lead. The first blow against depiro came with Xuereb's early withdrawal from the match, on two major fouls, but they were still dictating play, with tehir advantage. They had Grech and Miguel Brincat with other treys, but Starlites could count on Marseille, the other American, Konor Kulas, and Omar Said, to sink their triples. Depiro mhad Serbian, Marco Todorovic, points to keep them in front, till the interval, on a good 5344 advantage.

After the break Depiro managed to extend their lead at first, American, Quinn Cooper, began to pile in his points, also with a trey, as did Said, with his second one. here Depiro held a maximum 69-52 advantage, but Starlites hit back till the end of teh session, as Matthew Scerri and Ryan Carabott nailed triples, and the deficit went down to a 64-73 score.

Depiro could still rely on more Cooper points, as he also netted another trey, but Starlites were drawing closer, and Kulas and Scerri, twice more, sank triples, and they tied the score. Said was also lost to Depiro, on major fouls, but they held on to a small lead, until, Bonnici came off the bench, and netted three free shots, the last two mere seconds away from time, and the match had to go into overtime.

Starlites' strategy of continuous pressing kept having effect, with Depiro forced to commit a number of turnovers. The latter still managed to forge ahead once more, but then they fell to Starlites' free throws, with Kulas and Scerri netting theirs, to assure themselves of the victory, and go alongside Hibs and Depiro, all with two wins in four matches, but with Starlites on a better basket difference.

Gzira Athleta 78 Luxol 56 (20-8, 18-16, 20-17, 20-15)

Athleta kept up the pressure on the other sides, as they continued their hold on the top spot in the rankings, with their third seasonal victory over the Violets, this season. this was Athleta's fourth victory on the trot, in the league campaign, and this also spelt Luxol's faltering start, having lost all of their first-round matches. Athleta welcomed back Matthew Gouder, from his rib injury.

A few weeks ago, but Luxol had to make do without the services of Juan Cefai and their Serbian player, Slavko Opojevlic. The champions' bright start to the match established the run of play, as they could then control the rest of the encounter, safe in the knowledge of a solid advantage, which they could administer, despite Luxol's recovery in the next three sessions of play.

American, Connel Crossland started Athleta off, with a threehoop personal spread, before triples began to go in, at either end. Francesco Mifsud Bonnic and JP Schembri sank theirs for the Violets, with Luca Stefanovic and Peter Shoults reacting likewise, for the champions. Athleta ended the period on an 11-0 run, to draw away from their adversaries. The next session had the champions going on, with another 7-0 run, as they drifted well in front. Luxol began to make inroads also, as Schembri and Mifsud Bonnici once more netted treys, but Athleta were still 38-24 to the good, at the halfway stage of the match.

After the interval Athleta could keep their opponents at a safe distance, as Crossland and Nathan Xuereb led the way, in points obtained. Luxol had their Serbian, Vukasin Jandric, on a tight leash, by the champions' defence, netting his points, and Schembri with another triple, but Athleta were cruising, with their 58-41 favourable score. In the last quarter Athleta made the issue safer, as they put in more triples, by Sean Galea, Shawn Pace, and a brace from Gouder.

A late Luxol rally had Schembri nailing two more treys, in a game ending 11-2 run, to set the final score of the game which ended the first round of play.

Athleta: E. Sciberras, M. Novakovic 8, C. Crossland 21, S. Pace 8, P. Shoults 7, L. Stefanovic 3, S. Galea 3, N. Xuereb 7, M. Gouder 12, I. Thiesen 9, E. Abela, R. Abela

Luxol: V. Jandric 14, P. Engelbert 5, E. Caruana Montaldo, F. Mifsud Bonnici 8, JP Schembri 15, K. Dimech 10, I. Pace 2, L.Trapani, K. Gauci , S. Cappello 2

Referees: B. Vassallo, Z. Dobrosavljevic, V. Nikolic