GŻIRA ATHLETA 87
DEPIRO 79
(19-22, 21-16, 25-16, 22-25)
Gżira Athleta notched their first league win of the season after having to dig hard to subdue Depiro’s stiff resistance.
Albeit, points were dry in the first part of the encounter, Depiro had the best start notching the first two baskets of the game through their American tandem T. J. Atwood and Alex Oriakhi.
On his local debut, their counterpart, Terrance Reese, got a bucket himself shortly afterwards as Gżira Athleta had Shawn Montague, through his athleticism, keeping them close by.
Treys from Atwood and Miguel Brincat momentarily distanced Depiro in the lead but Athleta were quick to reply and managed to end the first quarter just three points away, 22-19, with five straight points from Nathan Xuereb and a late hoop from Zachary Hudson.
The game was at par just three minutes later after a Francesco Mifsud Bonnici basket and although Depiro regained the lead through two three-balls from Atwood, Athleta had a 9-0 late streak in the half, including a Stefan Vincic trey, to have a marginal two-point lead, 40-38 at the interval.