Last weekend’s John Tabone Shield action saw decisive performances from several teams as the competition’s semifinalists were confirmed on Sunday at the Ta’ Qali Pavilion. With one round left to play, Hibernians, Starlites, and Luxol all secured their places in the next stage.
Hibs outclassed Valletta in the weekend’s top fixture, while Starlites cruised past Athleta. In the third game, Luxol dominated newcomers Tigers BT in a one-sided affair.
All eyes now turn to next weekend as Hibernians, Depiro, Luxol, and Starlites battle to determine their semi-final match-ups.
VALLETTA LIONS 75
HIBERNIANS 92
(18-29, 22-21, 15-16, 20-26)
Hibernians asserted their dominance with a commanding win over Valletta in the day’s first fixture. Derek Brown and Tedrick Wolfe led the charge for Hibernians, with Brown contributing a game-high 26 points, while Wolfe added 25.
Valletta started strongly, with Lorenzo Anderson opening the scoring with a fast-break layup. However, Hibernians were quick to respond, with Brown’s precision shooting and Wolfe’s contributions from deep.
Brown’s second-chance layups and a late-quarter three-pointer helped Hibernians build a 29-18 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Valletta showed resilience in the second quarter as Nicholas Grech found his range from beyond the arc, closing the gap to 30-34.
But Hibernians duo Ivan Demcesen and Wolfe proved too strong inside, extending their lead again to go into half-time 50-44 ahead.
The second half was all Hibernians, with Brown and Wolfe putting on a show.
Hibernians capitalised on Valletta’s defensive lapses, with Wolfe throwing down a dunk and Brown continuing to score from mid-range.
By the end of the third quarter, Hibernians had pulled ahead to 66-55, and from there, they never looked back.
Valletta made a final push in the fourth, with Anderson and Piotr Stelmach contributing points, but it was too late.
Brown and Wolfe closed out the game comfortably, helping Hibernians to a convincing win that confirmed their spot in the semi-finals.
VALLETTA LIONS N. Grech 12, L. Anderson 21, F. Mifsud Bonnici 5, N. Da Silva, A. Attard 2, P. Stelmach 20, D. Schembri, J. Camilleri, N. Vasovic 5, E. Terry 10.
HIBERNIANS N. Cassar, Tedrick Wolfe 25, Derek Brown 26, Paul Attard 1, Anton Axiaq 4, Matthew Gouder 13, Matthew Attard 3, Miguel Mallia 2, Ivan Demcesen 18, Stefan Simic.
Referees B. Vassallo, F. Ciurariu, N. Rincon.
ATOZ ATHLETA 77
STARLITES JSD 97
(29-19, 15-31, 17-30, 16-17)
Starlites secured their semi-final berth with a convincing victory over Athleta, thanks to standout performances from Joe Davis and Trevon Reddish-Rhone.
Athleta started well, with Caleb Matthews and Robert Vitale combining for a series of three-pointers, giving them an early lead.
Starlites, however, responded quickly, with Davis scoring consistently in the paint. As the first quarter wore on, Starlites began to assert control with Reddish-Rhone contributing key baskets and Davis pushing the pace.
By the end of the first quarter, Athleta led 29-19, but Starlites had shown they were up for the fight.
In the second quarter, Davis took over. His layups and fast-break scores levelled the game before Starlites pulled ahead 50-44 at half-time.
Athleta struggled to contain Starlites’ offensive efficiency, with Kurt James trying to keep his side in the game, but it wasn’t enough.
Starlites blew the game wide open in the third quarter. Reddish-Rhone scored from all areas, while Davis continued to rack up points on fast breaks.
Athleta’s defence crumbled under the relentless Starlites attack, and by the end of the third, Starlites had an 80-61 lead.
The final quarter saw Starlites comfortably see out the win. Davis finished with 30 points, while Reddish-Rhone added 24, confirming Starlites’ semi-final spot alongside Hibernians.
ATOZ ATHLETA C. Matthews, K. James, B. Zammit, R. Vitale, I. Xuereb, L. Borg, E. Abela, A. Bozanic, A. Garzia, J. Garcia Cefai, G. Cassar, M. Azzopardi.
STARLITES JSD M. Curran, J. Davis, A. Aquilina, I. Felice Pace, M. Fabri, L. Riolo, M. Scerri, L. Farrugia, K. Xuereb, N. Sultana, K. Mortensen, T. Reddish-Rhone.
Referees N. Azzopardi, G. Barbara, B. Vassallo.
LUXOL 127
TIGERS BT 64
(30-10, 35-12, 37-15, 25-27)
Luxol’s demolition of Tigers BT was the least competitive fixture of the weekend, as Luxol overpowered their opponents from the outset. Darron Howard and Nathan Xuereb were the stars of the game, with Howard leading all scorers with 43 points and Xuereb adding 30.
The Tigers initially took a brief lead thanks to Jhun Jhun Lisondra’s early three-pointer, but Luxol quickly seized control. Howard hit a series of fast-break points and threes, helping Luxol build a commanding 30-10 lead by the end of the first quarter. Tigers BT had no answers for Luxol’s offensive onslaught, as turnovers and defensive lapses allowed Luxol to extend their lead further in the second quarter.
By halftime, Luxol were firmly in control at 65-22, with Howard already amassing 27 points. Xuereb added three-pointers in quick succession during the third quarter, as Luxol’s lead grew even larger. Tigers BT managed a few consolation baskets through Lisondra and Matthew Brown, but they could do little to stop the barrage from Luxol.
The fourth quarter followed the same pattern, with Luxol continuing to dominate both ends of the floor. Howard’s total reached 43 points as Luxol cruised to a 127-64 win, securing their place in the semi-finals in emphatic fashion.
LUXOL Darron Howard, Edgar Caruana Montaldo, Adam Azzopardi, Isaac Azzopardi, Jean Paul Schembri, Nathan Xuereb, Philip Engelbert, Nenad Bukva, Caleb Jones McCrary, Stefan Cappello.
TIGERS BT Elbert Masilungan, Matthew Brown, Keith Micaller, Michel Jalkh, Daniel Massa, Ferdinand Lisondra, Sassoun Saakian.
Referees M. De Flavia, N. Azzopardi, Z. Dobrosaviljevic.
