Luxol back to winning ways with strong Depiro performance

Starlites keep top spot with Fusion drubbing

Caffe Moak Luxol made the most of their week’s break in the MAPFRE MSV Life Women’s League to get back to winning ways with an 11-point victory over high-flying Depiro on Saturday.

In a fixture between two title-chasing sides, the Violets made a dent in the Mtarfa side’s winning streak to keep them in contention for first place.

Later in the day, leaders Starlites JSD broke little sweat to cast aside Fusion Quest.

CAFFE MOAK LUXOL 67

DEPIRO 56

(18-14, 18-13, 13-16, 18-13)

Luxol’s Nolene Vella made up for a quiet outing against Starlites with double digits this time around in a team-leading 15 points-six rebounds-four steals performance. The Violets guard kickstarted the game’s scoring with a three-pointer 40 seconds into proceedings.

Josephine Diaby, also in double figures with 14 points and seven rebounds, hit next with a layup before the game’s top scorer with 18 points, Nicole Agius, and Julia Xerri both hit three-balls for Depiro to take the lead.

Luxol’s Malta international Diaby combined with Vella for 10 points in between scores from Depiro’s Jose Ann Johnson and Sophie Abela before Sarah Fenech Pace set them back ahead before the first buzzer.

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Lisa Fenech Pace opened the second quarter with five straight points before a reply from Julia Borg with a mid-range jumpshot.

Mandi Mercieca returned from some games out to open her account in the game with a layup before Luxol import player Tayler Bennett hit Depiro for four. The Mtarfa side were looking second-best and Luxol took a double-digit lead with half of the quarter to go. Freethrows from Abela and Kristy Galea brought Depiro back to within nine but Luxol led 36-27 at halftime.

Unlike the previous two quarters, it was Depiro who opened the second half scoring through an Agius three-points. But Lisa Fenech Pace and Diaby both scored layups to reopen a 10-point lead.

Depiro’s Galea took over the team’s offence for the rest of the rubber with 12 points, the only points for Adrian Baldacchino’s clan except for a Johnson freethrow. At the other end, Luxol’s lead was reduced to six points by the third buzzer despite further scores from Diaby, Bennett, and Vella.

The final quarter was opened with another Agius three-pointer but Luxol rallied to not only maintain their advantage but also increase it back to double digits as with three seconds to go, Lisa Fenech Pace hit the last layup of the game to give the Violets the win.

STARLITES JSD 97

FUSION QUEST 20

(20-3, 20-6, 27-4, 30-7)

There were no surprises in a matchup between the titleholders and the league strugglers, as Fusion Quest were no match for Starlites.

On Saturday, Mikela Riolo, who ended the game with a 21-point-14 rebound double-double, kickstarted proceedings with a layup after 36 seconds. Christina Curmi and stats-leader Paige Cannon (22pts-16reb) both grabbed their first points from inside the paint before Riolo made one of two freethrows, Steffi De Martino bagged her first three-pointer, and Cannon hit again for a 12-1 run.

Nicole Vella scored Fusion’s first points with a mid-range jumpshot but Curmi started another Starlites run before the first buzzer saw the sides separated by 17 points.

Milica Stefanovic opened the second quarter scoring before Alexia Parnis hit 100% from the line. However, the floodgates reopened with a Michela Zammit Cordina jumpshot. Both 21-point finishers on the day, Andie Saliba and Riolo combined for 14 points in between a Nicole Montalvo layup for Fusion as Fatih Dedelioglu’s side led 40-9 by halftime.

Montalvo was again on the scoresheet in the third quarter, with Momcilovic being the only other contributor for Fusion, but Cannon shot her way to the top of the scoring ranks with 16 points, added to Saliba’s six and De Martino’s four as the game became a no-contest ahead of the fourth quarter.

Zammit Cordina added more woes for Fusion as the final rubber began, and while Fusion had their best scoring quarter of the game, the minnows could not keep up as Starlites kept up their momentum despite the massive advantage, leading up to a 77-point victory by the final buzzer.

STANDINGS

Starlites JSD 17; Depiro, Caffe Moak Luxol 15; Hibernians 10*; Fusion Quest 9.

*Hibernians did not feature in last weekend’s games.