Three fixtures on Sunday kickstarted this season’s John Tabone Shield at the Ta’ Qali Pavilion.
The highlight fixture saw SiGMA Depiro clinch a nail-biting 86-84 victory over Valletta Lions in a thrilling encounter. Meanwhile, Luxol began their campaign with a comprehensive win over AtoZ Athleta.
Starlites JSD handed Tigers BT a tough debut in this season’s competition, cruising to a commanding 113-74 triumph.
SIGMA DEPIRO 86
VALLETTA LIONS 84
(20-25, 24-22, 27-15, 15-22)
Depiro emerged victorious in the game of the weekend, narrowly defeating Valletta 86-84 in what was a rollercoaster of a contest.
Both teams displayed relentless energy from the outset, making for an exciting back-and-forth affair. Valletta initially took the upper hand in the first quarter, with Lorenzo Anderson and Piotr Stelmach leading the charge, helping their side establish a 25-20 lead by the end of the period.
Anderson, in particular, stood out with a fast break dunk and crucial three-pointer.
However, Depiro refused to buckle under pressure. Their resilience showed as they fought their way back into the game, led by the powerful presence of Chase Barrs and the quick feet of Dominic Tomasi.
By the second quarter, Barrs and Tomasi had pushed Depiro ahead after a flurry of points. Despite Valletta’s attempts to regain control through Anderson and Eric Terry, they trailed 47-44 at the half.
Depiro’s determination was fully on display in the third quarter as they surged ahead, with Tomasi and Cameron Cornelius playing pivotal roles. The team’s strong defence stifled Valletta’s attempts to close the gap, and by the end of the quarter, Depiro held a commanding 71-62 lead.
Valletta mounted a comeback in the final quarter, spearheaded by Anderson’s quick play and key contributions from Nikola Vasovic. They reduced the deficit to just one point with little over a minute remaining.
But Depiro held firm in the closing moments, with David Bugeja’s fast break layup sealing a well-earned 86-84 victory.
SIGMA DEPIRO: C. Barrs 22, S. Galea 4, D. Bugeja 6, N. Bozovic 11, L. Stefanovic 3, D. Tomasi 13, M. Brincat 18, C. Cornelius 9.
VALLETTA LIONS: N. Grech 6, L. Anderson 26, F. Mifsud Bonnici 5, A. Attard, P. Stelmach 14, N. Vasovic 10, E. Terry 23.
Referees: F. Ciurariu, M. De Flavia, N. Azzopardi.
ATOZ ATHLETA 85
LUXOL 107
(18-36, 23-17, 25-26, 19-28)
Luxol delivered a clinical performance, to defeat Athleta.
Luxol wasted no time in establishing their dominance, with JP Schembri’s back-to-back three-pointers giving them an early advantage.
Summer signings Caleb Jones McCrary and Darron Howard were key figures in Luxol’s offence, scoring repeatedly to push their team to a 36-18 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Athleta found some rhythm through American duo Caleb Matthews and Kurt James, both of whom contributed important points in the second quarter.
However, they were unable to match Luxol’s intensity, particularly in transition play, where Luxol repeatedly capitalised on Athleta’s turnovers.
By the half way, Luxol led 53-41, with McCrary continuing to pile on the points.
The third quarter saw Luxol’s grip on the game tighten further.
Athleta’s efforts to mount a comeback were met with stiff resistance, as Luxol’s defence remained solid and their fast-break game proved too effective.
Despite a strong effort from Matthews, who finished the game with 20 points, Luxol maintained their momentum, cruising to a comfortable 77-63 lead heading into the final period.
In the fourth quarter, Luxol kept control of the game, with Howard hitting crucial shots from beyond the three-point line and McCrary capping off the win with a powerful dunk.
ATOZ ATHLETA: C. Matthews 20, K. James 30, B. Zammit, I. Xuereb 5, L. Borg 2, E. Abela 4, A. Bozanic 2, J. Cefai Garcia 9, G. Cassar 10, M. Azzopardi 3.
LUXOL: D. Howard 23, A. Azzopardi, I. Azzopardi 6, JP Schembri 20, N. Xuereb 14, C. Jones McCrary 26, M. Matijevic 6, S. Cappello 12.
Referees: B. Vassallo, F. Ciurariu, Z. Dobrosaviljevic.
TIGERS BT 74
STARLITES JSD 113
(11-36, 29-32, 19-21, 15-24)
The final fixture of the weekend saw Super Cup winners Starlites overpower Tigers BT in a one-sided affair.
From the tip-off, Starlites asserted their control, with Max Curran making an immediate impact by dunking in the opening seconds. Despite an early response from Tigers’ Matthew Brown, Starlites quickly took over, with Trevon Reddish-Rhone and Joe Davis pushing the lead to 36-11 by the end of the first quarter.
Tigers struggled to keep up with Starlites’ high-paced offence, as Davis and Kolten Mortensen continued to pile on the points in the second quarter. Filipino guard Jhun Jhun Lisondra and Brown provided some resistance, with Lisondra adding a series of important baskets.
However, Starlites’ relentless scoring kept the pressure on, and by halftime, the Tigers trailed by a daunting 68-40.
Though the debutants showed some fight in the third quarter, with Lisondra sinking key shots and Brown chipping in with points from turnovers, it was not enough to stem the Starlites tide.
The fourth quarter saw Starlites continue their dominance, with Mortensen sealing the deal with a series of three-pointers.
TIGERS BT: E. Masilungan 2, M. Brown 30, K. Micaller 8, M. Jalkh 3, J. Lisondra 29, S. Saakian, D. Militello 2.
STARLITES JSD: M. Curran 13, J. Davis 23, K. Fabri 4, S. Aquilina 5, I. Felice Pace 5, M. Fabri 12, L. Riolo 5, M. Scerri 8, L. Farrugia 5, N. Sultana, K. Mortensen 19, T. Reddish 11.
Referees: B. Vassallo, F. Ciurariu, G. Russo.
