Last gasp triple hands Depiro victory

Basketball - BOV National League - Men 1 Div. P/O S/F 1

Cynergi Depiro 63 Floriana MCP 60 (11-18, 20-10, 9-13, 23-19)

Floriana were on their way to a first semi final win, but a spate of triples pushed Depiro back in serious contention, and when the Greens fluffed their last possession, throwing the ball out from the sideline, Depiro kept the ball right till the very end, with Robert Bonnici, whose treys dragged his side back more than once, nailed his fourth triple, from the court angle, to draw first blood for Depiro.

The semis are best-of-five, but this was a bitter blow to Floriana, although they can still recuperate. Depiro kept their unbeaten record for the season, against the Greens, with their third straight victory.

Depiro were ahead, with a brace of hoops, at teh start, with Floriana then taking command, and making up a solid 16-3 run, as Nikola Vasovic sank a trey and Anton Axiaq put in a trio of hoops. Kurt Xuereb also netted a triple for Depiro, who pulled hoops back, but were still trailing.

In the second period it was Floriana with the first two baskets, but Depiro reacted well, netting a 10-0 run, as Bonnici nailed his opening two triples. Vasovic stopped the run, with his two hoops, for the Greens, but Depiro came up with another 10-2 run, as DJ Mason made his points, and Xuereb sank a second trey. At the interval it was Depiro ahead, on a slight 31-28 score.

After the break Depiro went further in front, with an early 7-0 run, and another Xuereb triple, along with David Bugeja hoops. Then it was the Greens taking over, and hitting their opponents with a steady 13-2 run, beginning with a Chad Patus trey, when he then added more points, to take Floriana just ahead, on a 41-40 score, going into the last quarter.

The Greens seemed to have the match in hand, as they kept on, with their 11-2 run, and another Patus triple. Mason began the way back for Depiro, with his two hoops. The Greens had a reply at first, but when Depiro pressed, they made up a 10-2 run, Bonnici and Mason putting in their treys.

Depiro were close, but Floriana kept their noses in front, with Vasovic hoops. Mason coolly netted two more triples, to tie the score. Floriana could still win the game, but they threw away their possession, and Depiro gratefully took the occasion, to evade overtime, with a last second Bonnici trey, which handed them the first rung, on their way to the final.

Depiro: N. Grech , D. Bugeja 8, R. Bonnici 17, D. Schembri, A. Aquilina, DJ Mason 25, T. Zammit, M. Mallia, A. Quiros 2, K. Xuereb 9, M. Borg, D. Scafidi 2

Floriana: C. Patus 23, S. Pace 3, S. Borg 8, N. Vasovic 16, C. Calleja, A. Axiaq 10, A. Micallef Trigona, N. Andrejevic

Referees: E. Mangani, I. Simic, I. Marjanovic