Firm step by Depiro to make the Play Offs
Arms Depiro 87 Luxol 78 (12-22, 30-20, 18-16, 27-20)
The end of the third round of play finds Depiro solely in third position and firm favourites to land the third and final Play Off place.
Both sides viewed this match as important in their quest for a Play Off place and it was Depiro who make the bold step as they are now above the Violets in the league table.
Both sides shared eight matches against each other with four victories each but Depiro have a better balance with a lost K.O. final and another Louis Borg final to play with sights set on a Play Off place. Luxol have an Independence Cup lost final at the start of the season.
Depiro had Francesca Mifsud and Emily Cassar missing but recovered Nicole Agius and Julia Borg. Luxol were short on players with absentees Sharon Vella Antoinette Borg Julie Schembri and Lara Caruana Montaldo
Luxol made a hopeful start pinning Depiro back as Monique Caruana Sarah Pace with two and Beverlee Zammit all sank triples for a double figure early advantage.
Depiro crept nearer but Kay Portelli also netted a Luxol trey for a steady lead.
In the next session, Depiro began striding nearer as American Hannah Johnson began her usual dominance of the opposing defence. Her triple tied the score but the lead then changed hands five times before Caruana made her second Luxol trey closely followed by a late Martina Scicluna Depiro triple for the two sides to remain locked on a 42-42 score at the interval.
After the break, Luxol were again ahead as Caruana sank her third triple. Depiro turned the score in their favour with a 9-2 run and more Johnson points.
Nicole Vella had the Violets on another lead but Depiro’s Johnson was adamant and her side were just ahead at 60-58 after three sessions.
The last quarter had Depiro make the decisive step as they pushed Luxol aside with an early 14-3 run and a brace of Nicole Vella triples.
Luxol faced an uphill test as Caruana landed her fourth trey but Depiro managed to keep their opponents away on a double figure deficit till the remainder of the encounter.
Luxol tried their utmost and Pace netted a third trey but Depiro kept her side away enough to finish the match on a comfortable note.
Depiro: No. Agius, N. Borg 4, N. Agius 14, C. Camilleri, D. Said Hollier 6, M. Scicluna 3, C. Ciantar 13, J. Xerri 10, J. Borg 2, H. Johnson 35, N. Ebejer
Luxol: S. Pace 21, B. Zammit 3, N. Vella 4, C. Sollami 12, No. Vella 7, K. Portelli 10, M. Caruana 13, Z. Neilande 8
Referees: B. Vassallo, V. Nikolic, S. Tafilica
Hibs now grace the top of the standings Hibernians 63 Starlites GIG 61 (after overtime)
(13-15, 13-22, 19-10, 10-8) - (8-6)
Hibs will start the last round of play in top position after a hard fought encounter which saw the champions twice opening good advantages over the Paolites before the interval only to see Hibs claw their way back.
Hibs also ended normal time with a spurt to erase their deficit and force overtime with seconds left on the clock.
Starlites will feel like kicking themselves to let a good opportunity pass by seeing that they had the measure of their adversaries only to lose out after missing most of their shots in the last stages of the match.
It was also the Paolites’ never-saydie spirit that procured the victory as they stared a defeat in the face but managed to obtain overtime and then win through on the barest of margins.
After early points at either end, Hibs forged ahead as Jasmine Abela netted a triple her first of a poker.
Spaniard Patricia Arguello did the same for Starlites but they were still trailing in the late stages until they overturned the score by a hoop difference.
In the next period, Starlites shook the Violets with a 10-0 run as Arguello and Michela Zammit Cordina manded triples. Luxol came back in earnest with a good 13-3 run and ended with Iona Agius, American Amelia Simmons and another Abela triples. Starlites coolly opened up their advantage once again with a late 9-0 run and another Zammit Cordina trey to go in at the interval on a 37-26 advantage.
After the break, Hibs struck again and managed to tie the score as Sam Brincat nailed a brace of triples with an answering one from Starlites’ Arguello.
Starlites regained their lead with more Zammit Cordina and Arguello points but the Violets were always near as the 47-45 score suggests.
In the low scoring last session, Starlites pushed forward again to open up their advantage. Luxol’s last attempts brought fruition as Brincat and Abela treys had them close and Ashleigh Van Vliet sank a bucket in the last seconds and overtime was brought about.
It was tense all the way as Starlites twice went ahead but Hibs responded and another Abela trey had them inching in front. Maria Bonett regained Starlites’ lead but Van Vliet came up once more to force Hibs in front and Brincat’s free throw in the very last seconds sealed the Paolites’ win in their quest for an automatic entry in the
Play Off final.
Hibs: I. Agius 4, Y. Bonett, A. Van Vliet 8, S. Brincat 18, L. Duncan 2, J. Abela 12, C. Camilleri, B. Agius, N. Farrugia, K. Caruana, M. Buhagiar, A. Simmons 19
Starlites: M. Zammit Cordina 15, M. Riolo 2, A. Micallef 2, S. Farrugia, M. Bonett 6, S. DeMartino 12, C. Curmi 4, P. Arguello 18, M. Cutajar, S. Davis 2, A. Lupo
Referees: I. Simic, D. Torok, L.
Camilleri