Starlites GIG 59
Hibernians 50      

(14-18, 13-11, 10-12, 22-9)

Although the game had a peculiar second quarter with respective point droughts at each end, the crucial moment of Starlites GiG’s win over Hibs was the middle minutes of the last quarter when they hit their opponents with an 8-0 run.

That point-streak overturned the score in Starlites’ favour and then, also with Hibs’ losing their captain Sam Brincat through injury, the Naxxar side managed to control the final moments of the match so that the game buzzer had them ahead, thereby handing Hibs their first defeat.

The pressure was mostly on Starlites as they were aware that, given that Hibs had won the first round encounter, a defeat would place Hibs closer to the automatic spot in the league play-off finals as the team at the top of the standings at the end of the regular season. 

Now, with Starlites’ win, all is yet to be decided in the next rounds.

The game set off on a balanced note with the two rivals replying to each other until Hibs took the first substantial lead after a nine-point run set off with a Iona Agius and-one play and further points from Kirsty Caruana, Jasmine Abela and Amelia Simmons. 

It was then Maria Bonett, with a hoop and an and-one action, helped Starlites to reduce the deficit to 14-18 at the end of the first quarter.

Hibs passed through a complete point drought and a series of turnovers in the first five minutes of the second quarter whilst Starlites took the opportunity to regain the lead, at 27-18, when they netted the session’s first 13 points in a row mainly through Stephanie Demartino and Stephanie Davies.

Simmons finally notched Hibs’ first point in the quarter and the latter import player together with Ashleigh van Vliet managed to help Hibs to recover the lost ground and even go in for the half-time interval enjoying a slender 29-27 lead as it was now Starlites who had four minutes without a solitary point. 

The start of the second half was a tense affair as both sides were wary of each other. Hibs momentarily extended their lead to seven points after a Sam Brincat trey with Starlites managing to again overturn the score early in the fourth quarter after an Arguello three pointer for 42-41.

Although Simmons replied very shortly afterwards with a close-range shot, Starlites here had a strong two minutes of play and treys from Arguello and Demartino following two free throws from Michela Zamnit Cordina moved the Naxxar side to a 50-43 lead with less than three minutes to go.

The Paolites tried to recover but Starlites maintained their composure with four converted late free shots to make sure of their win.

Starlites: M. Zammit Cordina 3, M. Riolo 2, A. Micallef 3, S. Farrugia, M. Bonett 14, S. DeMartino 15, C. Curmi 4, P. Arguello 10, M. Cutajar, S. Davies 6, A. Lupo 2.

Hibs: I. Agius 3, Y. Bonett 6, A. Van Vliet 13, S. Brincat 3, J. Dabic, J. Abela 5, C. Camilleri, N. Farrugia 1, K. Calleja, K. Caruana 4, M. Buhagiar, A. Simmons 15.     

Referees: Z. Dobrosavljevic, K. Dworniczak, V. Nikolic.

Luxol 71
ARMS Depiro 86      

(14-21, 16-21, 18-25, 23-19)

The first round match between these two sides had ended in a 15-point win for Luxol and ARMS Depiro were fully aware that a similar slip in the second round could seriously dent their hopes to grab the third and final play-off spot at the end of the regular season.

Facing this pressure, Depiro, who had already beaten Luxol in other competitions this season but were still searching for their first league win, rose up to the occasion and inspired by their American import Hannah Johnson they achieved a win, incidentally also by fifteen points.

Johnson ended with a high 47 personal point tally and she continued with her streak this season in always dominating the boards against Luxol.

The Violets were never ahead in this game although they tried hard, especially in the first half, to put their noses in front but then suffered an influential 11-2 Depiro run in the third quarter which distanced the two sides to 53-37.

From then on, Depiro controlled the tempo and never seemed in danger of losing the lead even if Luxol had their own short bright patches with late eight- and ten-point streaks.

Johnson immediately set off with her close-range baskets and, with Luxol missing some early free throws, Depiro opened an early 11-3 lead.

With Sarah Pace and Zane Neilande sharing a poker of hoops, Luxol did come closer but it was a 21-14 scoreline at the end of the first rubber.

A 7-0 streak, including a Nicole Agius trey, had Depiro open a double-digit lead and this margin remained consistent till the interval.

Five consecutive points at the start of the second half from Monique Caruana seemed to indicate that Luxol were going to claw back into the game but Depiro replied with an important 11-2 run with Claire Ciantar assisting Johnson very well.

Luxol tried to minimise the damage with a time out but Depiro still kept on with their regular offensive ploys and enjoyed a 67-48 advantage with ten minutes to go.

The result seemed decided even if Luxol did improve in this last session with more precise long-distance shooting, netting five treys in ten minutes, but Depiro were still having Johnson grabbing more buckets from under the boards at the other end.

Luxol: S. Pace 24, M. Caruana 17, N. Vella, C. Sollami, No. Vella, S. Vella 8, K. Portelli, A. Borg 1, B. Zammit 9, J. Schembri, L. Caruana Montaldo, Z. Neilande 12.

Depiro: No. Agius, N. Borg, N. Agius 8, F. Mifsud, J. Borg 2, D. Said Hollier 3, M. Scicluna 7, C. Ciantar 13, C. Camilleri, J. Xerri 4, N. Hili 2, H. Johnson 47, E. Cassar. 

Referees: K. Dworniczak, S. Tafilica, A. Andaya

Standings

Starlites GiG (5-1) 11; Hibs (5-1) 11; Luxol (1-5) 7; ARMS Depiro (1-5) 7.