Repeat of last second win for Depiro

Depiro 70 Hibernians 69 (19‑18, 11‑26, 17‑10, 23‑15)

These two sides met in a Shield group game, and came up with then same score, and again, it was American, Cameron Cor‐ nelius with the winning points, with less than a second till the buzzer. Hibs still had a chance to overturn the score yet again, but, agonisingly, Serbian, Ivan Dem‐ cesen's hoop bounced off the in‐ side of the ring, to leave Depiro with their first league win, after their initial loss to Luxol. For the Paolites it was their second de‐ feat, after that against Athleta. Both Depiro and Hibs were in‐ volved in that Play off Off semi final fracas, last season, which cost them a place in the final, and also the docking of three points in this season. That means that now Depiro start from scratch, after obtaining the first three points of this current season, but Hibs have still a point to be taken away, after their two defeats.

Depiro have now parted with their American coach, Bryan Se‐ monian, with his place taken by the returning Reuben Bal‐ dacchino, who began his long trek with a hard‐earned victory. They had South African, Sebast‐ ian Nel, missing from their line up. Hibs' suspended players, from last season, have now paid their dues, and all four were in‐ cluded in this match, as Neil Cas‐ sar, Luke Farrugia, captain, Anton Axiaq, and Peter Shoults helped to bolster the side, which just failed in their first occasion, by the proverbial inch.

Depiro were first off the start‐ ing blocks, with treys by Miguel Brincat and Cornelius, with the Paolites narrowing the distance with Demcesen free shots and a Farrugia trey. Depiro kept the upper till the end of the period, with triples at both ends, Ameri‐ can, Justin Bogle, who finished up as the game's top scorer, for Hibs and Cornelius at the other end. In the second quarter Bogle's sec‐ ond trey tied the score, and the Paolites gbroke in front, with a 7‐ 0 run. Depiro kept chasing, with points obtained from their Amer‐ ican duo, Cornelius and Kameron Rooks, but till the inetrval it was Hibs in control, making up a late 11‐0 run, with a Matthew Attard trey, to shoot ahead, on a 44‐30 score.

After the break , and an initial Hibs bucket, it was Depiro forg‐ ing forward, with an 11‐0 run, and another Cornelius triple. Hibs made a sort of recovery, as Farrugia netted his second trey, but Depiro were back in con‐ tention, with their free throws and a Miguel Mallia triple. Shoults sank a late Hibs trey, who were ahead, on a 54‐47 score, going into the last session.

Hibs' noses were still in front, as Bogle supplied the ammunition, but a mid‐session Depiro run, with Cornelius making his fourth trey, saw them leap ahead, over their opponents. It was now Hibs' turn to chase, with Demcesen and Axiaq putting in their points. Late in the match, with four seconds remaining on teh clock, Axiaq was fouled, but made his hoop. The resulting and one was also put in, throwing the Paolites just ahead, at 69‐68, a throwback to the earlier match, between them. Depiro called a time out, and from the restart it was again Cor‐ nelius, going through the oppos‐ ing defence, to net his winning hoop.

Hibs stopped the clock, with 0.7 of a second remaining , As play resumed, it was Demcesen with a last throw, which just failed the mark, t6o give victory to the De‐ piro clan.

Depiro: J. Flagel , S. Galea 2, J. Micallef , A. Aquilina 8, N. Grech , S. Kenely , K. Rooks 22, M. Brincat 5, M. Mallia 3, C. Cornelius26, M. Debattista 4

Hibs: N. cassar , P. Attard , L. At‐ tard , L. farrugia 6, G. Cassar , A. Axiaq 9, M. Fall 2, R. Aquilina , M. Attard 5, J. Bogle 27, M. Bezzina , I. Demcesen 17, P. Shoults 3

Referees: B. Vassallo, Z. Do‐ brosavljevic, F. Ciurariu

Champions in second league victory

Bupa Luxol 71 Starlites Fijo 87 (22‑25, 16‑23, 18‑17, 15‑22) Luxol: J. Cefai , N. Vasovic 12, M. Sciberras , T. Bell 22, JP Schembri 5, A. Trapani, L. Tra‐ pani , J. Pace Debono , T. Mattos 19, M. Matijevic , S. Cappello 17

Starlites: A. Felice Pace 12, M. Attard 2, I. Felice Pace 11, M. Fabri, L. Riolo, M. Scerri 12, R. Carabott , L. Farrugia 6, K. Xuereb 4, N. Sultana , D. George 17, J. Notch 23

Referees: D. Torok, B. Vassallo, J. Londono

Century win for Mellieha

Gzira Athleta 84 Mellieha Libertas 104 (12‑31, 21‑30, 22‑24, 29‑19) Athleta: J. King 21, F. Mifsud Bonnici , L. Stefanovic , J. Ellul Dowling , N. Xuereb 14, R. Grif‐ fin 38, I. Xuereb , S. Vincic 5, R. Abela , B. Zammit 6

Mellieha: S. Zammit 5, D. Bugeja 12, R. Bonnici 6, V. Jandric 14, I. Bonett 7, N. Bukva 4, N. Jo‐ vanovic17 , C. Zinaich 35, M. For‐ mosa 4

Referees: Z. Dobrosavljevic, I. Ciurariu, N. Azzopardi